Mine Are the Eyes of the Storm
by Sena Johannsen
Summary: In 1522, Monkey D. Luffy puts an end to Arlong's nefarious ambitions of conquering East Blue. Aki Sinagra, a headstrong fishfolk warrior, can't let this slide, and sets out in a quest across the world to find the young captain and claim vengeance. But it doesn't take long for that quest to lead to unexpected places - places neither Aki nor anyone else could have ever predicted.
1. Chapter 1

_Note from the Author:_

_This being by far the longest work I've ever written, I'm especially happy to finally be able to submit it! Unlike my other piece, "The Witch and the Warlock", this was not written on the fly (which is what made me end up quitting that fanfic), but in its entirety, over the last 15 months or so. Something I must mention is that by the time I completed this story before anyone jumps in, however, is that the farthest I had gotten in One Piece, its source material, by the time this fanfiction was finished, was chapter 653 (episode 573 in the anime). So it should go without saying that a) Assume everything up to that point will be spoiled, and b) While I tried very hard not change much in the original canon story, something may come along later in the series that I obviously could not foresee and make my work completely contradict something canon. My apologies if that ends up happening. I don't think there's much else that needs to be said, so with that, I hope you enjoy reading this piece as much as I did writing it! Thanks!_

* * *

**Volume One – The Mad Chase**

**Chapter One – Ambush on the East Blue! Aki's Saga Begins!**

The frail, old captain of the small fishing vessel stares at me for a moment, his eyes squinted, his brow lowered. _You think I ain't noticed you throwin' glances my way this whole trip? _I make it known I'm looking at him, too. "Somethin' on your mind, old timer?" I ask.

He stammers, and fumbles over the ship's steering wheel for a second. His words come out awkwardly. "I'm just wondering, I suppose. Why someone like yourself is taking a boat somewhere. Faster for you just to swim, isn't it?"

_Hmm. Looks like the disguise could still use a bit of work._ "Faster? Sure, I reckon." Even though my face is entirely obscured by a red bandana and a pair of swim goggles, I tilt the wide brim of my hat up a notch to speak with him. "But I don't know the seas 'round these parts. I certainly don't know the way to Loguetown. And 'sides…" I lean back in my chair and stare up at a fluffy wisp of cloud surrounded by a piercingly blue sky, "I'm more used to bein' above the sea."

The old captain's laugh is hoarse and full of spittle. "Well isn't that a first! Never thought in all my days I'd hear a fishman say something like that! Course, I never thought I'd have one of you guys on my boat anyways!"

I snicker under my breath at his comment. "So, how'd you know?"

He points my way. "Those light pinkish purple thingies dangling off the back of your head, they're tentacles, aren't they?"

"Ah, you noticed?" I sit up. "I thought maybe folks'd think I just got really long hair as long as I keep 'em still. Gets me too much attention, bein' my kind; I like to lay low." I lift a front tentacle and use it to adjust my hat, showing him its movements.

The old man flinches ever so slightly. "So, uh... how many of them you got back there?" He asks.

"Ten. Eight behind the ears, two in front." I reply.

"That's crazy." He mutters. "You able to keep track of all of them at once?"

" 'Course."

The conversation ends there, and I continue staring blankly off onto the calm horizons of East Blue, losing myself in both thought and lack of thought, eventually drifting off into a light sleep.

* * *

The old man shakes me out of sleep. "Pirates! Pirates on stern! Get up! Get up!" he yells. I lazily wake up, and look towards the back of the boat. Sure enough I see a large ship quickly approaching. The Jolly Roger emblazoned on its bright white sail has a goofy red nose stuck on the skull. The fishing boat captain is frantic. I'm not too worried, though. If they're anything like bandits then I've got little to worry about. "Fishman! Aren't you going to escape?" Asks the old man.

I ignore him, and he goes back to his fretting, trying in vain to hide some things before the pirates arrive. I sit back down in my chair and pull my hat down just low enough to be able to watch the galleon approach.

The ship pulls alongside ours, and I'm already sick of the pirates' jeering and whooping. As if hearing my thoughts, they settle down to a relative quiet, replaced by one voice.

"Gyahahahaha! Such a tiny prize we've snagged here! Not very flashy, no!" It must be the captain. His voice is nasally, boisterous, and annoying me already.

"Sir, please!" the old man pleads. "I'm just a poor old fisher. I don't have anything a big pirate sir like you would care for!"

"Oh?" says the pirate captain. "And who are you to say what I care about, hmmm?" His voice rises to a shrill shriek. "Trying to speak for **me**!"

"N-No! Of course not! I never-!"

"Of course not!" The pirate captain repeats, then addresses a couple men, ordering them to pilfer the fishing boat. "Now then! What about you, Mr. Wizard Hat? Do you have some kind of objection to make as well?"

_'Mr. Wizard Hat'? That s'pposed to be me?_ I stand up and tilt my head back, pushing my hat up to get a look at the guy. He's as gaudy as his tone of voice would suggest. His face is painted up like a clown, and he even has the big red nose to match. His clothes are horribly mismatched, an orange tricorne and coat, a red and white striped shirt, baggy sea-green pants, and puffy white gloves. _I guess when you're captain of a pirate vessel you can dress however you damn please._

"I'm just a passenger." I respond. "It ain't really my place to care what happens."

The clown-captain laughs like a broken trumpet. "Well, then! Looks like you'll have no problem with us taking all you own as well!" The two men he signaled earlier throw a pair of ropes at us and slide down onto the fishing boat.

Though it's hidden by my bandana, I smirk at them. "I might…" I say back, "…if I had a single Berry on me!"

"What!" Both captains simultaneously exclaim.

"Wait a minute!" says the old man. "If you didn't have any money, how were you planning on paying me for the ride?"

"Ryahahaha!" I laugh. "I wasn't!" A few of the pirates join in my laughter.

"Why you! That' s not what you told me earlier!" The old man begins to make a move at me, but one of the pirates grabs him, while the other searches the boat for valuables.

"Hmmm..." The clown-captain puts a gloved hand to his grizzled chin. "Well, we simply can't have someone leaving us empty-handed, now can we boys?" The pirate crew responds in gritty, dark laughs. "Looks like you're joining the Buggy crew, Mr. Wizard Hat, like it or not." He says ominously. "Unless you'd prefer Davy Jones' locker! Bwahahaha!"

I groan. _Join these clowns? No, thanks._ "Pass." I reply.

"What!" The pirate captain shrieks. "Do you know who you're talk-"

I interrupt him. "There's a man I'm fixin' to find, quickly, and I ain't letting nothin' get in my way of doing so."

"A manhunt?" One of the pirates on the fishing boat says. " 'At's what we're up to right now!" He turns up to his captain. "Oi, Cap'n! 'E says 'e's off to-"

"I heard him!" screams the captain. "The boys and I are used to hunting men. Who's your prey, Mr. Wizard Hat?"

I smirk again. "He's a pirate captain, just like you. Name's Monkey D. Luffy, and I got a score to settle with him."

The jaws of the entire pirate crew collectively drop. "Did he say Monkey D. Luffy?" one asks. "The Straw Hat? Does he even know what he's getting into?" another gasps. One of the pirates on the boat approaches me, pulling out a crumpled wanted poster from a pocket. Straightening it out as best he can, he shows it to me. "You mean this guy?" He says.

"Don't know." I respond, looking down at the poster. A face younger than I imagined is looking back, with a wide, toothy, mischievous grin on his face, and a small, old scar below one of his eyes. On his head is a simple straw hat, with a red ribbon laced just above the rim. "Never seen the guy. But I doubt there's two Monkey D. Luffy's running around out there, so this must be him."

Another laugh of trumpets from the captain. "Bwahahaha! Fate is at work here, it seems! You and I have the same game!"

"That… so?" I respond, then take a second to think it over. "I take that back then; we might work nice together."

"Got everything we could find, Cap'n!" the guys on the boat with me exclaim. "Not much, but loot's loot!"

The two pirates grab on tight to the ropes. I snag onto one with a hand and a couple tentacles. The pirates let out an audible gasp, but retain their grip as we are heaved up onto the ship. I land on the deck, and am unsurprised, considering I stand over eight feet tall, to find everyone else is shorter than me.

"You!" one of the crewmembers pulled up along with me exclaims. "You grabbed the rope wit' your 'air! 'Ow'd you do that?" The other one who noticed the same thing walks behind me to closer examine my tentacles. I respond by grabbing him with several of them, constricting the dumb fool. The pirate crew shudders.

" 'E's a fishman!" Someone exclaims.

I let the man loose. "Watch where you're pokin' 'round back there."

"Bwahahaha!" the captain laughs. "Perfect! Perfect! With a fishman on our side, that rubbery menace won't know what hit him!" He laughs again, and then violently orders all the crew back to their posts.

I think about wandering off as well, to explore the ship, when I hear a decidedly feminine voice say "What **is** all the racket up here?"

"Ah, Ms. Alvida!" The clown-captain exclaims. "I was just about to introduce to you our newest partner-in-crime, Mr… ah… what _is_ your name?"

I'm not paying attention to him. From below deck comes the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen! A white cowboy hat atop long curly hair the color of night, ruby-red lipstick, a white bikini top exposing a perfect midriff, and to frame all of this beauty a lavish royal purple cape cascading down to her ankles!

"Aki Sinagra, my dear!" I say in my most regal attempt to hide my accent, sliding my way over to her. "But Aki alone is just fine! And by what name should I address you, my exquisite beauty?" I kneel down so I might reach for her hand to plant a kiss on it, but as soon as my hand tries to grasp hers, it slips right off, like handling a wet bar of soap. "Ah, my goodness, how embarrassin' – fishfolk hands you know… sometimes get a bit oily…" She's not listening to my apology. In fact, she's pretty much ignoring me entirely.

"Buggy," she says, "we should be spending our time searching for Straw Hat, not wasting it on these pointless stops."

The clown-captain Buggy, stutters. "M-Ms. Alvida! Of course we should! We just happened across these two by chance, nothing more! And we **are** searching! We have reason to believe that he'll be heading-"

"-to Loguetown?" I finish his sentence.

"Exactly!" Buggy shouts. "Wait, how did you know that?"

I eject a small laugh. "Like I said, I'm lookin' for him too. I was just at a fishin' village where he stirred up a heap a' trouble, and the folks there said he was headed next to Loguetown. So your guess was right on the money."

Buggy clenches a fist in a victorious stance. "Alright!" He turns towards his crew. "We have a course to take, and we're not letting anything get in our way of doing so!" The crew cheers and shakes their swords in the air in acknowledgement.

_Ain't that exactly the line I just used…? _I notice the woman folding her arms. "See, Madam Alvida? I ain't such a pointless stop, right? Right?" She gives me a smirk and returns to below deck. I move to follow her, but she closes the wooden door in my face. _Ah, next time perhaps. _I scratch my cheek underneath the bandana. _No use in keepin' this on if they ain't got a problem with me bein' fishfolk. _Finding a nice place to sit down and relax, I take off my hat, goggles and bandana, and return to the nap that these clowns so rudely interrupted.


	2. Chapter 2

**Two – A Date With Fate! The Battle of Loguetown**

It takes us two days to reach Loguetown, and that's more than enough time for me to get sick of this crew. They're crude, obnoxious, smelly, and many other adjectives I wouldn't say out loud. The… men, that is; Alvida's a goddess (even if she does always give me the cold shoulder). One of Buggy's crew, a man who keeps as a companion a great beast I'd never seen the likes of before, even tries to paint my face like a clown. I punch him in the gut before he can manage and send him bouncing across the ship like a flat stone across a pond. _Just grin and bear it; Aki, it's all for the larger goal._

"So, you do have some fight in you!" Buggy comments after I knocked out the lion-man. "Well good! For a moment there I was afraid maybe you weren't a fighter after all." He then laughs, as do some of his men. "But of course you are, though! All you fishfolk are rough customers, right?"

I hesitate a moment before responding. "Yeah, that's right." I say. "We are."

Loguetown is a sight my eyes gladly welcome. Though I'll be ridiculed endlessly if anyone hears someone of my kind say it, I'm glad to have land under my feet again. We enter not through the main harbor, as Loguetown and its harbor are controlled by the marines, but by land, in stealth, Buggy's ship anchored far away. The majority of the crew stays to guard the ship; instead a small force is sent to infiltrate the city and seek out Monkey – Buggy, Alvida, the lion-man, another one of Buggy's lieutenants, myself, and a small handful of the crew. Buggy and his men don disguises similar to mine – long, concealing cloaks, and bandanas covering their faces. Alvida doesn't bother. _As it oughta be! Such beauty ain't meant to be covered up!_

In the city without any trouble, we split up into three teams. Buggy takes his men to try and gleam information from the taverns, Alvida heads towards the city's center plaza, and I am sent to the harbor. _What, d'they want me to see if Monkey's ship is here? I don't even know what it looks like!_ Loguetown is larger than any city I've ever been to, and its pathways are confusing, winding here and there, but I have little problem in spotting which direction the harbor is in. I get a couple weird looks from townsfolk, a few skilled eyes seeing through my disguise and discovering my species, but I barely even notice it. I've been used to that all my life.

"So, how do they fit, Usopp?" I hear a woman's voice say, as I round a corner not far from the harbor.

"Like a charm! I feel like I can take on the world with these!" An obnoxious man responds.

I spy the pair. The man is skin and bones, nothing special, striking silly poses, but the woman – the woman is gorgeous! My eyes are held captive by her perfect figure, her striking orange hair, everything about her! _She rivals even Madam Alvida in beauty!_

I slide towards the pair, knocking the skinny man out of the way with a thud. "Madam!" I exclaim. She has a large bag of goods slung over her shoulder. "Surely a beauty of a woman such as the one before my eyes need not trouble herself with carryin' such a heavy load!"

The man, his composure regained, stands back up in a huff. "Oi, you! Who do you think you are, knocking into me like that?"

"Ehh?" I turn towards him, demeanor shifted to one of disgust.

"Yeah, what he said." Followed the woman. "I prefer not to associate with fishmen; who are you?"

_She noticed! _I look back towards her. "Madam! If it troubles you, don't think a' me by my species, but as a humble wanderer of the world, who was immediately starstruck by your gorgeousness! My name is Aki Sinagra, Madam, and I would be delighted to relieve you of that burden on your shoulder and take it anywhere you need!"

Something lights up in her expression. Plainly, she replies "Sure. Here you go, then." She heaves the bag towards me and I grab it and lift it over my shoulder with ease. It's light as a feather. _Girls always love the fishfolk strength. Way to be smooth, Aki!_

"Oi, Nami!" The cheeky, little man butts in. "This guy doesn't bug you?" _Nami? Where have I heard that name before?_The woman shrugs. "But he's a fishman!"

"You see that, short stuff?" I jeer. "Madam Nami don't care at all! Truly she is a goddess who accepts all as they are! 'Sides, I don't see you helpin' the poor girl out. Some gentlemen you make!" He throws an insult at me, but I laugh it off, and he does nothing in response but grumble.

The two of them were on their way to the harbor as well, coincidentally enough. We arrive and find a large mass of people gathering around the dock.

"What a crowd! I wonder what's going on?" Nami says, trying to peer over their heads. A man on a loudspeaker announces a tournament that will determine the best cook in East Blue. "Hey, wait a sec!" Nami exclaims, pointing towards the contestants. "Look! Over there!" I glance in the direction of her finger, where a group of four is making a slight commotion. There are three men, two of which are incredibly awkwardly shaped and disgusting to look at. The third, a blonde-haired man, is alright-looking I suppose, if I were... you know, into guys that is. On a straw chair aside them is a beautiful woman with all the majesty of a proud peacock, furious at something. _This town is just chock full of cuties!_

"Hey, isn't that Sanji?" the skinny man who followed Nami and I asks. "Sanji!" he and Nami shout.

"Nami!" the blonde-haired man shouts back, ecstatic to see her. "You've come to cheer me on?"

"Not really, I was just passing by." She says with a grin.

_What's with _this_ guy?_ "You're awfully friendly with Madam Nami. Just who are you to her?" I inquire of him.

"Ehh?" Sanji grumbles. "Who's this asshole?"

I scoff at him. "I have been chosen by the lovely Madam Nami to escort her…" I lower my voice for a moment, "and her mousy little friend… to wherever she desires! Ain't that right, Madam?"

"Yeah, I have no idea who this guy is." Nami responds. "Some fishman who offered to carry my stuff for me."

"You wound me!" I exclaim with a gasp. "At least remember my name! I gave it to you so elegantly too, Madam! Aki Sinagra!" The three of them seem to be ignoring me. _Sadness._

"But Sanji, why are you in this contest? I didn't think you cared about this kind of thing?" The skinny man asks.

"Oh, Usopp. You're here too?" Sanji replies.

"You notice this guy before me!" Usopp screams back.

The man on the loudspeaker announces the beginning of the contest. I'm not particularly interested in it, but I watch anyway. Sanji is apparently quite the fantastic cook, as with little trouble he makes it to the final round, where he faces off against the beautiful woman from before. I cheer for her to beat the swirly-eyebrowed bastard, but in the end, she concedes the fight, making Sanji victorious. The prize was a monster of a fish, longer than I am tall, and I'm pretty tall. Sanji and Usopp wrap it up and carry it together.

"Oi, how come I get the heavy end?" Usopp complains. Everyone ignores him.

Suddenly Nami stops, and looks up into the sky. "The air is different." She says. "It's going to rain." The three of us look up as well, to see a beautiful sky.

"Really? But the weather's so nice." asks Usopp. I'd normally agree with him, but she must know what she's talking about.

"I'm positive. Let's get going." She says with confidence.

Sure enough, only minutes later, clouds begin to fill the sky with unnatural speed. Nami checks a gauge of some sort. "I've never seen the pressure drop like this!"

"Now that you mention it, this is an unusual wind." Sanji pipes in.

"A storm's coming, right to this island!" Nami says. "We have to get back to the ship as soon as possible before that happens."

"Oh? Ya'll got a ship?" I ask. A voice hails us before anyone has the chance to respond.

"Zoro!" Nami exclaims. _The Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro? I've heard of this fella before._

A muscular man with sea green hair carrying three swords appears, scratching his head in confusion. "You guys seen him around?"

"Luffy?" Usopp asks.

_Luffy? He said Luffy! _"D'you say Luffy? Monkey D. Luffy? You know him?"

"He's our captain." Sanji responds. "But how does a shitty fishman like **you** know him?"

Before I can say a word, a crowd of citizens, fleeing from something, begin to approach. "Pirates!" They scream. "It's Buggy the Clown!"

"What did they say?" says Nami.

"Buggy the Clown is going to execute Straw Hat Luffy!" another citizen screams.

"EXECUTE him?" Usopp and I exclaim simultaneously.

"That idiot!" Nami growls.

"Keep this for me!" Sanji throws the fish onto Usopp and he and Roronoa rush off towards the main plaza.

"Hold it!" I shout and, with an apology, hand the giant bag back to Nami to go chase after the two.

We run through the packed streets, against the tide of terrified people. _Damn it, they're fast!_ _I can't catch up with 'em!_ The two reach the plaza, flashily announcing their arrival to save the day. _Monkey must still be alive! _A couple seconds later, I too enter the plaza to see, atop the tall execution tower, Buggy, cutlass in hand, over a straw hatted figure prostrate on the ground, his head and arms clamped down into place. Between the three of us and the tower is a mass of pirates mixed in with Loguetown citizens.

"BUGGY!" I yell into the air. "This ain't what we had planned! Monkey was mine!"

Buggy laughs his shrill laughter. "Is that so? Well, I'm afraid I've changed my mind, Wizard Hat!" He lifts his sword in the air, and Roronoa and Sanji immediately make a dash for the tower. I follow them.

"The execution platform!" Sanji shouts. "Destroy it!" The crowd parts, fleeing the two men.

"Sanji! Zoro!" Monkey exclaims, elated to see the two.

I hear Alvida order Buggy's crew to begin their counterattack. _Madam Alvida! Not you too!_ A swarm of pirates come after us, but we make quick work of them, punching, kicking and slashing our way through the rabble.

"Try all you want, but you can't stop me now!" Buggy taunts, and swings his sword downward.

I look up towards him, towards the man I pursued. _Already? Already I lost? Is this really him? Ain't he the one who…? _"Sorry, everyone." I hear him say, and with a smile on his face, with the blade only inches away from his neck, he exclaims "They got me!"

Time slows down to a near halt. All my senses are ablaze. Stinging sensations on the ends of my knuckles, the smell of seaside rain in the air, the gasp of a thousand onlookers, and light… above us, a blinding flash of light illuminates the sky as a bolt of lightning comes striking down atop the execution tower. For a moment, the entire city is silent, with only the sound of slowly increasing raindrops permeating our ears. Then, the crackling sound of fire. The execution tower is alight in blue flame, crumbling down. The sight of it sends a shiver down my spine.

A straw hat gently floats to the ground, where a black-haired figure picks it up and sets it atop his head. "Man, I thought I was a goner there for sure!" Monkey says with a grin and a laugh.

Sanji and Roronoa are just as stunned as I am. "Oi, Zoro. Do you believe in God?"

"Nope." He responds. "C'mon, we've overstayed our welcome here.".

I regain myself after the shock. "H-Hold it! You ain't out a' the clear, Monkey! I got a score to settle with you!"

A voice booms. "Now! Surround the pirates!" Suddenly, the plaza is surrounded on all sides by Marine legions who immediately charge in to subdue us. _Damn it! Not now!_ One lunges at me with his sword, but I dodge it, then send a fist crashing into his face. Another marine attacks, and I grab him by the wrist and throw him into another. I look back towards the center of the plaza. _Monkey! Where is he? Where'd he go?_ I scan the area, and see him, with Roronoa and Sanji making a break for the harbor.

"No, no, no, no!" I shout, and run after them. I chase them through the streets of Loguetown, a large squadron of Marines right at my tail. The men of the Straw Hat crew are a bit faster than me, and I'm afraid I'll lose them, but I round a corner to find Roronoa has stopped, and is now doing battle with a beautiful, lone woman in blue. I pause for a moment to contemplate the situation, but see Sanji and Monkey fleeing in the distance. _No time to lose! I gotta catch up with 'em!_ Several blocks later and I'm somehow closing in on them. _I think they're in earshot. _"Monkey D. Luffy!" I shout. He hears me, and turns around.

"Oi, what are you waiting for?" says Sanji, before he spies me. "You again!"

"Sanji, who's this guy? A friend of yours?" Monkey asks.

"Hardly! I heard you at the plaza! You're working with that clown!"

I ignore him. "Monkey! You ain't getting' away from me this time!"

Monkey is about to step forward, but Sanji puts an arm in front of him to stop him. "Luffy, go. I'll take care of him."

"You too? Will you and Zoro be alright by yourself?"

"Who cares about that marimo bastard? Besides, as much as I hate to allow it, there's no way a lady could beat that gorilla."

Monkey scratches his head. "Hmmm... that girl against Zoro… yeah I guess you're right. I hope he goes easy on her."

"You! Swirly eyebrow!" I growl. "The hell you think you're doin'? Don't get in our way!"

He pulls out a cigarette and somehow lights it in the pouring rain. "Not a chance, shitty fishman. You want to get to our captain, you go through me first."

"Sanji!" Monkey says with misty eyes. "You're so cool! I'll never forget you!"

"Who's dying, dumbass!" Sanji yells back. Monkey runs off, and I try to follow, but Sanji blocks my path. "I told you you're not going anywhere!" With impressive speed, he raises a leg into the air and brings his heel down upon me. I block with one arm, and am surprised at the force behind the kick. _This fella's strong for a human… _"I still haven't forgotten you being all lovey-dovey with Nami, you asshole!" Another kick blocked.

"Ain't that my line?" We trade numerous punches for kicks, until he tries the same downward heel kick. I block the attack, then circle my forearm around to grab his leg and swing him up into the air. He counters, shakes his leg loose and lands in a handstand position. _Gotcha!_ I get into a low stance and swing my arm in an arc to land a powerful punch in his gut. The blow connects, but so does a kick I didn't see coming from my side that hits me right in the gills. We both stomach the pain, and I use the chance to grab his leg with a couple tentacles. He's startled at their movement, and I take the opportunity to constrict him elsewhere as well. He struggles, trying to break out, but I have his movement stopped. _Hah! Got him!_

Just then, all goes silent. The rain stops. The wind stops. Everything ceases to move. In shock, my grip loosens and Sanji is able to slip through. But he does not strike back. He too, notices the change in the air.

Then, it hits us. Like a vacuum tunnel through the streets of Loguetown, the wind picks up to a magnitude I've never witnessed before. Flying down the street like a leaf in a hurricane, I cover my head with my arms, sure I'm going to crash into something.

And sure enough, I do, smashing directly into the brick wall of a general store. The impact knocks me out, and sends me into blackness.

* * *

When I come to, the wind is gone, but the rain is still pouring. The back of my head pounds furiously, and I take my hat off to feel for a wound. There's no cut or gash, but it stings terribly to the touch. One of the short fins on the side of my head has a cut in it as well.

Then I remember –_ Monkey! I didn't lose him yet, have I?_ I quickly discern which direction the harbor is in, then make a mad dash for it.

But when I reach the ocean, I see no pirate ships. Instead I spot a squadron of Marines in formation. In front of them is a large man smoking a pair of cigars, and the woman in blue who was battling Roronoa.

"Straw Hat Luffy aims for the Grand Line, and we are tracking him!" the large man announces. "As it is the Grand Line, I will not force any of you to accompany us. If you wish to stay, then stay, but otherwise, get on board." _Damn it! He's already gone? _Though the marines hold mixed reactions, not one of them stays behind. _I've heard a' this Grand Line. It's s'pposed to be the roughest sea in the world. Don't matter none, though._

Leaping into the ocean, it takes a moment for me to switch over to breathing water; it's been a while since I last used my gills. I single out the ship the Marines plan on using to pursue Monkey and swim towards it. Surfacing to get a look reveals I'll have no chance to stowaway on it anytime soon; Marines are crawling all over it. Instead, I latch on to the underside of the boat with the tiny barbs on the ends of my tentacles, and decide to wait. _I gotta follow. Not even the Grand Line'll stop me! I gotta face the man who killed Arlong!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Three – Daring Stowaway! The Grand Line Awaits!**

Four days pass before I am finally granted the chance to sneak aboard the Marine ship. I've been glancing up on deck every now and then to check, but until now, there's always been someone dutifully on watch, so I would be forced to return down to the bottom of the ship, below the water, and wait. During that time, I've grown quite a hunger, surviving only on rations in my pack, which were all waterlogged and gross, but I dealt with it. I had hoped the ship would pass by some shrimp or something, and I could grab a delicious bite to eat, but the waters have been empty. On the fifth day however, in the middle of the night, only two men are on watch, and by a fantastic stroke of luck, both of them have dozed off.

_Finally! _I hop aboard the deck with deft agility and flatten myself against a wall, scanning the perimeter for anyone else. _Looks like the coast is clear._ The door I'm inching towards should lead down to a cargo hold eventually; as long as I don't run into any guards I ought to be fine.

Through the door is a hallway, with two sets of stairs. I follow one of them and on the last step down one of the flights find myself in a room full of cots, with two dozen sleeping marines. Immediately I come to a stop, but my foot makes one last audible creak against the wooden planks of the floor as I do.

A marine's snore is cut in half as he jolts awake. "Hm? Wazzat?" A combination of instinct and simply not thinking straight makes me jump up into the air and wedge myself in between the walls above the staircase. I try to latch onto the ceiling with my tentacles, but the wood is full of sharp splinters that prick my flesh. Ignoring the pain I hear the marine get up out of his cot, and walk my way. _He's getting closer! If he reaches the stairs I'm spotted!_ Just as I'm sure I'm caught, I hear another cot moving, and then a dull thud of a noise.

"Go back to sleep, Scotty." A voice grumbles.

"Fine, fine. You don't gotta throw your shoe at me."

I breathe a ghostly sigh of relief and slowly lower myself back down. My tentacles still sting, little bits of wood stuck in them. Taking the other set of stairs leads me farther down into the ship, onto the lowest level, the orlop deck. An abundance of supplies are stashed down here: food, clothing, weapons, ammunition, et cetera. It smells a bit, but I don't let it bother me. I find a nice corner to settle in, and rearrange the boxes just a bit so I'm hidden from whoever might need to come down here. _Now I just gotta hope the Captain here can actually find Monkey. This is gonna be a mighty long ride…_ I make myself as comfortable as I can manage in this cramped space before picking the splinters out of my tentacles, and then drifting off into sleep.

Three days pass, and the boredom is killing me. Often I find myself recessing into my memories of the past, but quickly tell myself to quit it. _There ain't nothin' good back there. You know that, Aki._ But still, I can't help it. I try to focus on the better memories instead, like my time spent at the Mountain Fist dojo. The easier days. _And man, t__hat long trainin' mission with Madam Natsu and Haru. Wish I could still be with ya'll but... later. I'll come back for ya'll some day... Well, maybe not Haru. Sorry, you're still an asshole, buddy.  
_

Then, the boat rocks violently. _Rough waters?_ It bumps again. _An attack?_ For some reason, the thought of the boat coming under attack never occurred to me. I thought I would be safe on a Marine vessel. _If the ship sinks I might could just swim out, but I'll lose my means to the Grand Line then! And to Monkey!_

A voice from the floor above me. "We're about to hit Reverse Mountain. You'd better brace yourself, Doc! It'll be a bumpy ride up!"

_'Reverse Mountain'? 'Up'? What's he on about?_ I contemplate whether to leave my hiding place, but decide against it in the end. _Too risky._

Suddenly, it feels as though something slammed into the front of the ship, and I am launched back towards the direction of the stern. The ship is vibrating tremendously, all the cargo down here with me making rattling noises. _The hell!? What're they navigatin', rapids!? _The shaking continues for several minutes as I expend my energy just to hold on.

Then, it all stops. Quiet. Weightlessness. I'm floating_… I'm floatin'?_ As soon as I realize I'm not touching the ground, the telltale feeling of butterflies in my stomach arises as the ship begins to fall. I try my best to grab onto something, but nothing is stable. Everything else is being as tossed around as I am, until at last we crash. Tossed around like a rag doll, I land headfirst into a cannonball, and am instantly knocked out cold.

* * *

I awake to the voices of men.

"Stowaway!" One shouts. My mind quickly escapes its haze and snaps back to reality. I hear the sound of blades being unsheathed. Before me are two marines, swords in hand. In a fraction of a second, I'm forced to make a decision: fight or submit. In any normal situation I would have fought tooth and nail to escape, but the marines have two grand advantages. They are armed, and while I can easily deal with armed opponents, the ceiling here is incredibly low, and I'm pretty tall; standing up straight it would reach my chest. _I can't fight here…_

As best I can manage, I stick my hands behind my head, to let them know I won't resist. They call for more to come down to put me in handcuffs. I am escorted up above deck, where a crowd of soldiers have stopped to see what the commotion is about. As soon as they see my height, a few more marines are called for safety.

My chance arrives. Up here I can fight, even while handcuffed. With great speed I lash a tentacle at each of the armed marines near me, grabbing their wrists, twisting them so they let go of their weapons, and then tossing them aside. Before the initial shock wears off on the bystanders, I dash towards a crowd and grab as many marines as I can, planning to hold them hostage. I manage to nab four of them; two tentacles left over to fend off anyone else who might attack. "Fishman! He's a fishman!" Someone shouts. "Subdue him!" Says another.

"That's right I am! And if you don't want to see your friends here snapped in two," I intimidate, "you won't get near."

"W-w-well… what is it you want?" a voice asks.

_That's actually a good question. What __**do**__ I want?_ "Your captain! Lemme speak to your captain!"

"Right here." A voice says. I can't discern where it's coming from, but it's close, far closer than anyone should be in this situation. I move to strengthen my grip on the marines I hold captive, but immediately find a tightening squeeze around my neck. However, looking down, there is nothing! Only a thick cloud of smoke! I try to get words out, but can only gasp and choke for air. Letting go of the marines, I flail wildly to try and grab at the smoke, but to no avail. It raises me off my feet and turns me around to face the captain of the ship. I look down at him with surprise. _The smoke is comin' out a' his arm! Or __**is **it__ his arm?_

"What you're probably thinking is true. I ate a Devil's Fruit, the Moku Moku Fruit to be precise - I'm a smoke man." The Marine captain certainly looks like the living embodiment of smoke: his hair is ash grey, his skin is pale, and between his teeth he's holding not one, but two cigars. "You know Marine policy on stowaways?" the captain asks, though he obviously isn't giving me the chance to answer. _Getting harder… to breathe…_ "Stowaways leave the ship in only one of two ways: either as a new recruit, or off the plank. But when they try to kill a Marine onboard… well, they only get one option." The smoke moves me off the side of the ship. I look down at the hungry waters below me, and start to get dizzy from the lack of oxygen. "Hope you can swim with handcuffs on." Says the captain as he drops me into the sea.

I hit the ocean and, finally loose of the asphyxiating grip of the smoke, reflexively take in a gulp of water into my lungs. I cough a bit before switching to my gills and expelling the water. I swim up to the surface and find the ship moving on.

The captain looks down on me from the edge of the deck. "Follow us and we kill you, fishman."

I growl at him. "Like I need to! Get lung cancer and die, asshole!" The marines are already ignoring me, sailing off to who knows where. _Damn it. Damn it! What do I do now? Just swim and pray I find an island? _I spy my hat floating on the ocean's surface. _Dang. I ain't gonna be able to swim right with that big thing on. Later, fella. _I scan all horizons. Aside from the shrinking marine ship in the distance, there's nothing but water in all directions. Looking at the position of the sun, I determine the ship to be heading roughly east by northeast. _If I remember correctly, the currents of Grand Line flow east, don't they?_ I dive beneath the water and look around. Again, nothing but water in all directions, and that includes beneath me; there is no visible sea floor. A shudder runs through me. It isn't the first time I've swam in the deep ocean, but it's still terrifying to behold. I decide on swimming as close as I can due east, and see where that takes me. My species originating in the seas, I assume I can live down here long enough to find an island and figure out just where in this wild ocean I am. Though it's been some time since I've done some serious swimming, I remember how an aloof fishman once taught me to swim with just my tentacles. _Five at a time: expand, stroke, expand, stroke._ I repeat to myself until the movements become natural again.

When I am too tired to continue swimming, I halt my movements, close my eyes, and try to fall asleep. I can control my buoyancy subconsciously, in order to keep from sinking or floating, but I have only prayers to keep some gigantic sea creepy from devouring me whole while I'm snoozing. Despite my fears, I wake up the next day to find I'm not in the clouds with a halo over my head, so all is good. I keep on swimming.

This continues from new moon to full. In this time I fight off sharks, follow a school of shrimp for food, fall asleep in hot waters only to wake up in cold ones, play with some dolphins, swim under a vicious storm, escape a gargantuan sea monster they call a Sea King, and all the while have absolutely no idea where I am heading the entire time. The sun says east is in one direction, but nothing else makes sense in this place. _I can only imagine what it's like to sail the Grand Line, to be at its mercy even more. Pirates are mad._


	4. Chapter 4

**Four – A Visitor Way Out Here? Race to the Top of the Mountain!**

After sixteen or seventeen days swimming in the Grand Line (I lose count), a man falls into the sea near me. While I'm sure men fall into the Grand Line by the minute, I haven't seen a ship since the smoking Marine captain's, and in addition, this man is huge. When I first feel the reverberation of his impact into the water, I think it's a whale, or a boulder, or something of that magnitude. After realizing it is none of those, but a man, and then realizing this man cannot swim, I speed over to where he is thrashing about and help him up to the surface. He's a bulky fellow, but with my fishfolk strength I manage to hold him up so he can breathe. If I were just a human swimming about however, he'd almost certainly be a goner.

"Maaah! Who are you!? **What** are you!?" The large man squawks. His voice is even more grating to listen to than Buggy's, and I didn't think that was possible.

"The one what just saved your life, that's what." I respond. "Quit thrashin'! I can hold you above the surface easily enough if you quit movin'. Can you tread water?" I ask, even though it's a rather silly question. _How could anythin' this large and bulky swim?_ The man looks like a giant barrel drum of a person, with a gigantic mouth and gaudy blue hair, wearing thick furs that are undoubtedly totally ruined now.

"No, I ate the Baku Baku Fruit! I can't swim because of it!" He shouts. _Another Devil's Fruit user. Has everyone in the Grand Line eaten one a' those things?_

"Well okay. Fine. Whatever. How'd you fall down here? I don't see a ship nowhe-" Just as I say it I spot far off in the distance a speck on the horizon.

"Ah! That's my ship! Hurry, swim us over there!"

I groan. "I don't think I can move from this spot. It's taking everythin' in me just to hold us both up. Plus, my hands are in cuffs back here."

"What the hell are you doing out here in the Grand Line in handcuffs? You crazy?"

I laugh on the inside. _Probably, yeah._ "Had a little fit in with the Marines. Nasty business."

Through a combined effort of yelling and throwing things up into the air, we manage to obtain the attention of the ship's crew. They pull us up onto the deck with a crane that strained under this man's massive weight. _He didn't seem __**that**__ heavy. Guess all that swimmin's put me in prime shape._

His ship is as unnecessarily massive as he is. Onboard, he tells me his name is Wapol, ruler of a place called the Drum Kingdom, and he extends his thanks for saving his life. "When I become king again, fishman, you'll have any treasure of my castle you wish! Well… within reason." He proclaims. _Gee, thanks._

"Appreciated, but I don't need no wealth. The only thing I need is to find a man. A pirate."

"A pirate?" Squawks Wapol. "Maaahahaha! We hunt a pirate as well, fishman!" _No way. If he says what I think he's about to say… Please don't tell me it's-_ "Monkey D. Luffy is his name!"

_Son of a… _"You're kiddin'!" I say, putting on an act of surprise. "That's the same fella I'm after!"

"Is that so? Perfect! Perfect! With a fishman with us, that stretchy fart won't know what hit him!"

_This déjà vu is killin' me. Am I chasin' Monkey or is he chasin' me? Whatever, I ought not to complain. I'm on the right track to findin' him again. I'll just gotta make sure this fella don't jump the gun and try to off him like Buggy did._ "'Course he won't. But I ain't gonna be much help to no one if you don't get me out of these handcuffs."

* * *

It takes a bit of time to find this so-called kingdom of Wapol's, as they lost their Eternal Pose to the island, and apparently the only surefire way to find what you're looking for in the Grand Line is with one of those buggers. When I tell them I swam across the ocean they have a good laugh and call me crazy. _Look who's talkin'…_ However, they know they're on the right track when the temperature suddenly plummets. Wapol's kingdom is on an island kept frozen in perpetual winter, and we had entered its climate zone.

I shiver, and ask if they have a spare coat. "Not used to the cold weather, fishman?" One of Wapol's top ranking officers, an archer, comments. I remind him that unlike him and his primate species I don't have hair to keep me warm. Apparently that was too much for the small brain of his to comprehend, but he gets the general idea, and has someone find me a fur coat and an ushanka hat. The coat is snug, but the hat was designed for a human and thus does not fit over my squid-shaped head. I sigh, and my shivering distorts it into dagger breaths.

A day after the weather turns chilly we reach Drum Island. Wapol and his crew celebrate, both because they've finally arrived back home, and because Monkey's ship just happens to be docked in the harbor of the town we arrive at. I take a good look at it, remembering every detail in my mind. _Small, wooden, Jolly Roger's got a straw hat on it, ram's head on the bow, some kind of little orchard on the deck._ _Queer ship, but then again he seemed like a queer fella. _

Screams erupt from the town as we pull closer, and I can spy people running to and fro in madness. I already had the idea Wapol wasn't the greatest of leaders, but they look as though a ruthless dictator just returned. _Did I do a bad thing savin' him?_ As the giant ship pulls into dock, the fearful mob of townsfolk has escalated to a platoon of armed forces. Wapol and his crew laugh at the citizens' stand.

"Well fellas," I address the pirate crew, "It seems ya'll got one hell of a fight waitin' for you ashore. What say I sneak onto the island while ya'll are busy here?"

Wapol grins. "You sound like you've got a plan brewing, fishman."

I laugh softly. "Not particularly."

"Be my guest, then. I know the man leading this rabble; it won't take long for us to clean house here." The rest of his crew copy their captain's sinister look at this. "Someone, get him a flare." He orders of his crew. "Fire it off into the air if you find the Straw Hat, and we'll see it."

"I will." I lie. _Like I care about ya'll._ A crewmember hands me the flare, and I stuff it into my pack.

I leap off the ship, and as soon as I crash into the harbor bay, I realize what a terrible idea that was. The water is absolutely frigid, knives of cold piercing into my skin, nearly choking me as it travels into my gills. _But if I surface, the townsfolk'll see me!_ _I gotta bear with it. _Reaching the other end of the bay is a lesson in needley pain, and I am glad to be out of there when I reach land. The snow blanketing the ground feels warm after swimming in those icy waters of death.

Once I catch my breath, I look back at the town across the bay. From the sounds of combat, it seems the fighting is still going strong. In the opposite direction, inland, lies another town of glittering, snow-covered roofs. Ignoring the cold pain creaking throughout all my bones, the snot dripping from my nose, and the wet snow seeping into my boots, I trudge through the snowfields towards the faint civilization in the distance.

I am met with faint resistance upon entering the town. News of Wapol's return took no time in spreading throughout the island, and all its inhabitants are now at the ready. Being new to the island, I am accused of being under Wapol's command. I tell them I'm not (which is the truth, anyway), but I can see they're not believing me, so I come up with a lie. "I'm a member of the Straw Hat crew, under Monkey D. Luffy. I got separated from my captain, though. Did he come through here?"

The two men confronting me calmed a bit at this. _Good. I was afeared they mighta looked at him just as nasty as they did Wapol. They __**are**__ both pirates, after all._

"You're with that straw hat guy?" One of them said. "Y-Yeah he was here earlier. He and the blonde-haired fellow left for the central mountain, though I don't know how they plan on making it up there. It's impossible enough climbing it by yourself, but they were carrying a sick woman with them as well."

_Do they mean Madam Nami? She's sick? Too sick to move? Inexcusable! How can Monkey call himself a captain, lettin' a beautiful woman like her fall ill? Ain't he got a doctor?_ "Well how do I get up there, then? If you can't climb it?"

The two exchange glances. "Well… that is… there really isn't a way. See the castle at the top of the central mountain?" He points out into the snow flurries. The mountain is shaped like one giant cylinder sitting on the landscape, a drum. On top of the mountain sits a shining white castle. _Is it stone? Ice? Glass maybe?_ "Because of the way the mountain is shaped you'd have to be insane to actually climb it. There are cable cars that used to run from the mainland to the mountains, but Wapol disabled all of them just before he was run off the island. There's only one that runs now but the witch who usurped the castle in Wapol's absence took control of it, and doesn't let others use it."

This backstory is lovely and all, but I really don't care. I contemplate how to proceed from here. _Cable cars travel by cable, right? Then, there oughta be a cable running from the ground to the top a' the mountain… right?_ "Where does her – the witch's, or whatever – where's her cable car run down to?"

"Huh? It's somewhere in the forest to the north, but why would you… hold on! You're not thinking of climbing up the cable, are you!? That's insane!" I've already stopped listening to him, walking towards the forest mentioned in search of this cable's ground point. The possibility of again confronting the man took Arlong from me is blinding me to the danger of the means of doing so.

The forest is thin enough that I can look through the canopy and spot the cable to use as a reference of where to head. I come across several types of woodland animals in the forest, stranger and stranger the further in I go: birds, reindeer, some rather large rabbits my instincts tells me to stay out of sight of, and a bear that gives me a bow as it passes, then growls at me until I return the favor. The forest grows colder as well as I travel into the woods. It was afternoon when I arrived on the island, and now the sun is setting. _I gotta find that cable soon, before it gets any worse._ For a time I think I'm lost; the forest is too thick and I can no longer see the cable. But then, a smell greets me – lamp oil and firewood burning. _Someone lives in this forest! **They'll** know where it is!_ I follow the smell as best I can until I discover its origin: the telltale orange glow of a small fire, shining through the foliage.

The fire is coming from a tree. Or, to be more precise, from inside a tree. Before me is a house carved out of the insides of a thick evergreen, and outside is a pile of ash, dotted with the last dying embers of a recent bonfire. Instinctively I hide from sight, but then I notice the lights are off. _Whoever lives in this thing ain't here._ Regardless, I tread cautiously as I search the area. Reaching the opposite side of the house-tree, I find what I'm looking for – the end of the giant cable planted into the ground, and an empty platform for a car to station at.

I let out a cheer of happiness, then remember I'm trying to be quiet and hush myself up. The metal cable is terribly cold to the touch, and I curse my webbed hands for not allowing me the luxury of gloves. Looking up I can see the cable running at a steep incline all the way up to the central mountain. _Damn, that is way too high. No choice, though. _My mind is already made up. I grab onto the ice cold metal cable with my hands and a couple tentacles and begin the ascent.

Once I break the canopy, the wind picks up. The cable swings about horribly, and I'm terrified I'm going to fall off. Farther up, and my palms and tentacles echo in pain terribly. I switch out for a different couple of tentacles, but there's nothing I can do about my hands. The cold is unbearable. Even behind a thick bandana I can't feel my nose, lips, or ears. My hands and forehead, bare to the elements, are completely numb. I'm halfway up, twilight has passed, and the wind is ravaging, deafening, torturous. I tighten my grip, but that makes my hands stick to the cold cable, and every time I let go, skin is torn from my palms. This repeats with every grasp, until they become raw, tinted a deep purple color, and then they simply exude blood. _You **will **continue, Aki! There ain't no goin' back now! You got the will to triumph over this!_

I reach the top and I can barely feel my body anymore. All is pain. I finally am allowed a glimpse of the top of the drum-shaped mountain. The castle atop is magnificent, but I am too overwhelmed to care. Scanning the outside perimeter of the castle, I strain to climb just a bit more. _Just a bit further and I can jump off!_ I don't see anyone. Just more snow._ Is he inside? Did he make it up here?_ Hanging above the mountaintop, I am happy to let go of the cable and jump down. But unexpectedly, when I land, I find there is a platform up here as well. The ground is not dirt, but slick, frozen wood, and I slip! A pain sears through my leg and I fall violently to the ground. I cough up a few drops of dark red blood that are quickly engulfed into the raging white of the blizzard, but I'm just a sliver of energy left in me. The pain in my leg, the only feeling I've left in me, drives me back onto my feet as I stumble through the snow.

"MONKEY D. LUFFY!" I scream into the air, my voice raw. "Show yourself!" I limp towards the castle. _No more… Just… come out… _ My vision blurs. _I can't... No more…_

* * *

In my dreams I leave the cold, and return to the heat. Spectres haunt me in the forms of ancient memories of fire and death. Buildings are on fire. I hear voices, screaming. I see faces, twisted and scarred. I wish for a release to the pain, but none comes until all is burnt to ashes, and I wake up.

Slowly, I open my eyes. Blurs take a moment to reshape themselves into recognizable forms. _A ceiling… a light… the shine of metal… _My head hurts, like I'm sick with a cold. I find I'm lying down in a bed, so I sit up, and look around. Trays filled with metal instruments are scattered about the room. A counter lines one wall, and atop it are various medicines in labeled containers. An x-ray, along with some charts, is hung up. On the opposite side of the room is an open door. I can't see where it leads. Behind me is a window. I look outside, and find a icy courtyard. It seems I'm inside the castle.

I look down at myself. My clothes have all been removed, replaced with a long hospital gown. Bandages are wrapped around my hands, and my left leg from the middle of the calf down is in a cast. I try to move my tentacles, and am rewarded with sharp pain. It's been some time since I was wearing so little; it feels almost liberating.

Instead of calling out to see if anyone is there, for some reason I decide to get up and find out myself. Carefully, I leave the bed, and hop over to right beside the door. Two voices are talking in hushed voices, though I cannot make out what they are saying.

"I know you're awake in there, it's no use hiding." One of them calls out, an old voice. My nerves jump.

"Someone else? Who? Zoro? Usopp? Vivi?" the other replies. She is much younger. _Wait, I know that beautiful voice… and some a' those names!_

"No, not from your crew. Someone else. Looking for you, though. Or your captain, rather. Know any fishfolk with a grudge and thick accent?"

I stay quiet. I don't know what to do. _Do I stay hidden? Do I respond? If that's who I think it is, then I can't let her see me like this!_

"Fishfolk?" the younger woman thinks for a moment. "Wait a minute… it couldn't be! Are you the one from Loguetown? Aki Sinagra?"

Elation! I leap out into the doorway with a grand smile and exclaim "You remembered my name, Madam Nami!" Unfortunately, it is only then that I realize what a mistake I just made there. The scene freezes. Nami is in a hospital gown similar to mine, sitting down in a bed. Next to her is an old hag in a gaudy leather jacket and pants, holding a glass of liquor. They're both staring at me, the old hag undoubtedly drunk, and Nami in a state of surprise.

It is she who finds her voice first, however. "You…" Nami says in a hushed tone, "you're a woman?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Five –Secrets Exposed! Wapol Begins His Assault**

_...Well, shit._

Nami is still in surprise, stuttering out words like a broken Den Den Mushi. "I mean- it's not like you- you _were_ in disguise- but…" she pauses, and shrinks back a tidge, "…weren't you the one who kept flirting with me?"

_All of the things to mention and you choose that?_ I think for a second on how to respond, then say "What? Girls… ain't allowed to fancy other girls?"

Nami looks disgusted. The old hag laughs. "Looks like you just lost your shot with that one." She says in her witch-voice. "Most people just don't swing that way. And sorry, but that includes myself too, honey."

"Who'd be interested in an ol' raisin like you?" I murmur.

She hears it, and yells "I'll have you know I'm still at the far-too-young age of a hundred and thirty nine! And I won't tell you the secret to my youth, either!" She takes a swig from her bottle. "Fishwoman. Aki. Whatever. Your body was in one hell of a mess when we found you. The ligaments around your ankle were torn, you broke a couple toes, half your body was frostbitten, and to add icing on the cake, you came down with one hell of a cold." Upon hearing this, my body suddenly remembers its injuries: the weight on my left leg sends pain running through it again, and my nose clogs with gunk. I shift my balance to the right, leaning against the door frame. "I'd say it's been some time since I've seen someone that messed up, but the past couple days have brought some crazy customers in. However," she takes another swig and grabs a clipboard with some papers attached to it, "as your doctor I'm going to lay down some orders." **_She's_**_ the one who patched me up?_ _This drunk ol' fart? _"First off, you're confined to my office until your cold dies down. It's a goddamned blizzard out there, and going outside will just make it worse. I won't have you catching pneumonia. Second, if you have to stand up, keep your weight off your left leg, like you're doing now, so the injuries in it will heal faster. And third, no using your tentacles until those heal either. The ends of all the ones in back were frostbitten past the point of recovery, and I had to amputate about one to two feet off each. I hope you can regrow them." Fortunately they do regrow back, though it takes some time, else that news would have been rather traumatic. I reach behind me with a bandaged hand to pull a tentacle where I can see it and sure enough, it too is wrapped tight, and much shorter than it should be. The old doctor takes another drink. "Gotta say though, I haven't treated someone of your kind in ages. Always a little harder to operate on you guys, since you're all so damn different. You're a squid-type, right?" I nod. "Well, I've got to go check on the other two patients, see how my assistant's been doing with them." With a wink she adds "I'll leave you two lovebirds alone."

She leaves the room, and Nami and I turn to look towards each other. She stares at me with a look comprised of aversion and fear. "Don't you try anything, you!" Nami finally says, murmuring under her breath.

I frown. "You wound me, Madam! Here I am, nearly helpless in a cast, and you-" I stop, and end the sentence in a sigh. "Alright, I guess I **am** a bit of a skirt chaser." I embarrassingly admit.

"Sounds like a certain someone I know." Nami comments. "So what, you disguise yourself as a man so you can flirt with women?"

"What? No, no, no! I never said I was a man. I-I guess folks just assume I'm male on account a' I'm tall and strong," I lower my voice to a embarrassed mumble, "and 'cause my voice is kinda husky. No, it ain't my sex that attracts attention; it's my species. Being fishfolk has a tendency a' makin' things problematic, and I'd rather keep a low profile." My right leg is exhausted from having all my weight on it. "D'you mind if I sit down?" I limp over to her bed, and she shudders. "Oh come on, I don't bite. I ain't even got the sharp teeth like most fishfolk, see?" I open my mouth up in a comical fashion.

"That's… not what I'm worried about." She says. I sigh and sit down anyway. It's a relief to be off my feet.

Both of us are quiet for a moment, until I remember something "That's right! One of the villagers said you was terribly sick!" I mention. "Are you better? What was wrong? That **was** you, wasn't it, Madam?"

Nami answers with hesitance. "Y-yeah… it was. A prehistoric bug bit me at the last island we went to, and I contracted a disease from it. I've been bed-ridden until just now."

_Prehistoric?_ "Weren't there no antidote?" I ask.

She shakes her head no. "We don't have a doctor on our ship. That's why we came here, to find one."

_I was right!_ "You ain't got a doctor? How can a crew sail across the seas, never mind the Grand Line, without a doctor? What kind of a captain does somethin' so crazy!?"

Nami's head lowers. "Our kind of captain…" she grumbles, making it sound like an apology. "He's says he'll find one to be our nakama, but he tends to think anyone will join him if he simply asks."

_Nakama_. The word is relatively new to me; it's a word the seafaring people use. Back where I come from, we don't have it, instead using a number of terms similar, but not quite the same. 'Kin', 'Comrade', 'Ally', 'Friend' – in my homeland they are all different words with different meanings, but for these pirates, it's all the same thing.

"Unforgiveable!" I exclaim. "I can't believe- **this** is the man I'm after?"

" 'You're after'? Don't tell me... You followed us all the way out to the Grand Line for him?"

I smile. "Well, seein' your pretty face again is also reason enough, Madam!" Nami groans. "But yeah, I did chase after your captain. That really so strange? I stowed away on the vessel of a Marine captain who, might I add, is also in pursuit a' ya'll, was discovered, thrown overboard, and forced to swim till I found another ship to carry me here."

"You SWAM across the Grand Line? **You're** the crazy one here! Just what happened between you and Luffy that you would go to such lengths to chase him down?"

I have my doubts as to whether I should answer her, but I do. "He's the fella what put Arlong six feet under, ain't he?"

Nami's face goes pale, even paler than it had been from her sickness. "Arlong...?" She backs away from me, moving as far away from me on the bed as she can. "W-what do you know about him? I've never seen you before! Who are you? A friend of his? A loyalist? His sister?"

Her words instill an emotion in me I have not felt in some time. "Now hold on! I..." I shout, standing up, but my voice stops.

Nami shrinks away, probably afraid I might strike her. I freeze. A silence fills the room for a moment. I calm down and sit back down on the bed, and Nami asks "You... what?"

I don't feel like continuing on that topic; I'll just get mad again. "Forget it. I don't want to fix on it." I pause, and remember something. "Folks at Cocoyashi Village told me to say hi if I see you, though. I almost forgot."

Her eyebrows raise, and her demeanor immediately begins to shift back to a more pleasant one. "You went there? When?"

I nod. "Just before I came to Loguetown. That's how I figured out about your captain."

"How is everyone? How is Noriko?"

"They're fine. She said her mikan harvest is doin' well. I noticed them trees up on the ship - that them?

She nods. Mentioning her village really brightened her up. _Good. A beautiful woman like herself shouldn't look so down._

Just then, a loud crashing noise comes from another room, followed by a high-pitched yelp of terror. I hear an excited voice and immediately recognize it as Monkey's. _Shit! I almost forgot!_

"Is that Luffy?" Nami says.

I swiftly stand up, ignoring the small jolt of pain in my ankle. "If it is, I gotta get!"

"H-hold it! You're not going to fight him, are you? You're in no condition to-"

"I won't! But I gotta ask you one thing, Madam." I lean down and grab her hands in mine. "This is going to sound really stupid, but please please **please **don't tell him about me. Don't tell him I'm here. Don't tell him **nothin'**. In fact, don't tell no one. As far as you know, there ain't no one holed up in that room. And if they do find me, I'm nobody. You don't know me. Okay? I'm just a random patient… up on top of a bald mountain nobody can get to."

"Y-yeah." Nami looks unsure, but goes along. I take a sly advantage of the situation, her innocent confusion, to sneak a devilishly sly kiss upon the cheek, then fly back to my room and close the door before she has the chance to inflict severe bodily harm upon me.

* * *

No more than an hour later, Wapol leads his assault on the castle. The window from my room looks on an interior courtyard, so I cannot see the action, only hear the sounds of battle. Monkey and Sanji, who were both being treated by the doctor as well, join the doctor and her assistant, some cute little reindeer-person-thing, in going to the castle's front gate to defend it. _They recovered quickly, didn't they?_ It wasn't long after that that I hear their battle begin. I wish I could at least watch them, so I would know Monkey's fighting style. I know I'll have to fight him eventually, but I have no idea how he confronts his opponents. If he was strong enough to down one of the leaders of the Sun Pirates, he must have major tricks up his sleeve.

From the other room, I hear the door to the outside open, and a few seconds later, Nami passes by my window. She notices me staring and gives me a wink and a "Shh!" signal. _What's she plannin'? She can't be fixin to join them in the fight, can she?_ Nami turns her head towards the railing overlooking the courtyard, like someone called her name. She's talking with someone, but I can't hear any of what's being said. Their conversation ends, and she continues on walking towards the stairs that lead down into the courtyard.

But then, of all the people to show up, Wapol climbs up over the railing and gives chase after Nami. _No way! Did that fat lard beat both Monkey and Sanji? Damn it! Useless-ass captain! Shoot! I gotta help Madam Nami now before he gets her too!_

I drag my leg out of the bed and walk over to the door. Opening it, the coast seems clear of the doctor. _That's right; she and the reindeer thing went out to defend the castle. Was she defeated too? She'd probably kill me if she saw me leavin' the office._ I had tried leaving earlier, when Monkey and Sanji weren't around to spot me, but she caught me as soon as I opened the door with a powerful punch in the back, then grabbing the still-tender ends of my tentacles and dragging me back inside. It hurt like hell; I wouldn't want to try it again. _But Madam Nami is in danger this time! I ain't got a choice!_ I leave the office, limping over to where I saw Nami and Wapol run off to. It's freezing cold out here in my hospital gown; everything's covered in snow, even though it's inside the castle. Careful not to slip, I walk down the stairs to the courtyard and spy Nami, helpless, in the clutches of who I think is Wapol, though he looks different than I remember.

"Madam Nami!" I shout, and try my best to run over to her. Before I make it however, something faster than my eye could catch smashes into the side of Wapol's face, sending him careening across the courtyard and into a stone wall. Just as quickly, whatever it was disappears. _What just happened? Who hit him? I wasn't payin' attention!_

"Eh?" a voice says. "I don't remember him being that thin." Monkey appears, walks over to Nami, and helps her up. I too try to walk over to her, though my injury and this slippery floor make it difficult.

"Are you alright, Madam?" I ask her, half-trying to mask my accent so no one recognizes me.

Monkey looks at me with confusion and says "Who're you?"

"She's… another patient of the doctor's." Nami explains. With a wink she says "I never did catch your name though, did I?"

I stammer, and fumble for words. "I- uh… no it's um, it's-"

"You... need some help... or something?" He asks.

"No! I don't need no help!" I snap. _He's right here! The one you been searchin' for, Aki! Damn it, but there ain't nothin' I can do right now!_

Before I can make a fool of myself any further, Wapol regains his composure and shouts "That's enough, you runts!" I get a good look at him now; he's definitely changed. Instead of being a giant barrel drum of a man, he's slimmed down to a healthy weight, and is much taller as well. _I hope he don't recognize me like this. If the others ain't though, I oughta be safe. _He starts to blabber on about how his Devil's Fruit will make him a human superweapon or some nonsense once he gets into the armory behind him, but after all that boasting, he forgets the damn key. Everyone is silent in disappointment. A wind blows through the courtyard to break the almost-comedic silence and I shiver terribly, goosebumps forming all along my bear arms and calvesWapol sweats nervously for a moment, then unashamedly flees further into the castle. Monkey takes chase, yelling angrily, leaving Nami and I alone.

"You owe me by the way." Says Nami.

"H-Huh?" I stutter. _I owe her?_

"I didn't say a thing to Luffy. You owe me. Let's say… a hundred thousand Berries."

"A hundred thousand!?" I shout. _I ain't never even seen that much at once!_

"Or should I go ahead and tell him? I'm giving you a deal, really."

"You… you're cruel, Madam…"

Nami chuckles to herself, then pulls out a key. "It's a shame this is only to the armory though." She mumbles. "I was hoping it was to the treasury… how boring." _The treasury! There we go! Wapol promised me somethin' from there for savin' him. I'll just snatch a trinket and use that to pay her back. Still though, I can't believe she's doin' this. It hurts to see someone so pretty be so heartless!_

"Miss Nami!" a happy voice shouts. We turn to find Sanji, madly crawling towards us from the front gate like a grotesque, lovestruck caterpillar. _What the hell is he doin'? They musta messed him up somethin' bad in their fight..._ "Thank goodness you're okay!"

"Sanji?" Says Nami. "What in the world happened to you!? Are **you **okay!?"

"Are… are you really worrying about me?" he says, hearts in his eyes. "Oh! And another lovely woman I've never seen before is with you! A beautiful fishlady!" I take a step back. _This is the same asshole I fit with back in Loguetown. Now he's all actin' all lovey-dovey? Disgustin'! Who can be so shallow!?_ "You're injured as well! Ah, if only we could share our pain together and be as one! Embrace me, my lady of the sea!"

The only embrace he gets is a hard plaster cast to the back of his head. "I'm goin' back up to the office." I say. "Send my luck to your captain."

He gets it. Their battle ends shortly after. My cold having gotten worse from being outside, I take the peace and quiet as a chance to get a little bit of sleep.

However, what was supposed to a nap for an hour or two ends up being a full night's rest. I awake to the sound of fireworks in the middle of the night. Frantically I get up out of bed and hurry to the room Nami was resting in only to find it vacant._ They ain't here!_ I tear through the other rooms in the office but find them empty as well._ No way! No... no way!_

The old hag walks into her office, bottle in hand. "Keep it down! Fireworks going off and I can still hear all the racket you're making! Sounds like a damn bear got in here!"

"Doc!" I exclaim. "Monkey! Where's Monkey?"

"You mean Luffy?" the doctor asks. "He healed up. I discharged him."

"But is he still here? Please tell me he's still here!"

She takes a drink. "You just missed him. He's on his way to his ship right now."

_NO!_ I rush to the door to give chase.

"Hold it!" the doctor yells. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm goin' after him! I finally caught up with the bastard; I ain't losin' him again!" I turn back towards the door and am rewarded with a punch to the back I should've seen coming.

She grabs me by my tentacles again and they flare up in pain. "You're not going anywhere until your wounds heal!"

"But I-"

"Doctor's orders!"

_Damn it, damn it, damn it, DAMN IT! I was this close! He was standin' right in front of me and all I had to do was confront him! Why didn't you do it, Aki? Are you really **that** stubborn?_

I give up, and return to the bed, defeated.


	6. Chapter 6

**Six – Escape from Drum Island! An Unexpected Savior**

Eight days later, the doctor lets me out of her care. I'm sure I could have been discharged earlier – the pain had long since left my leg. I argue quite a bit in those eight days, namely in regard to the speed at which she let the Straw Hat crew not only leave, but steal away her assistant as their doctor.

"Sanji had a broken rib, why didn't you keep him in to heal it?" I complain.

"Oh? You want me to perform invasive surgery on you as well?" She retorts with. I shudder. I've had major surgery once before; I'd rather not again. "You've already lost them. Just give it up." As much as I hate to admit it, she's right. I don't have a means off the island, and even if I did, I certainly don't have the means to navigate the Grand Line. I learn that the way most people sail this sea is with a device called a Log Pose, which is basically a little compass that leads them from one island to another, along one of seven different magnetic trails, until they reach the Red Line again, on the opposite side of the world. All I've got to guide me is a nose, and that's only if my destination is fried shrimp.

During my recovery I am restricted to the castle, but it's not lonely in the least. The denizens of Drum Island are busy reconstructing their kingdom, namely the restoration of the castle itself. Snow has filled every corridor aside from the doctor's office, so it needs to be melted and drained out first. The workers are giving their best efforts at warming the castle up, but it takes time and energy. I've been watching them as they work on this, along with moving things back into the castle, tidying up the place, and other tasks. When the pain finally leaves my leg and I can walk around somewhat regularly again, I offer to help them. They refuse, seeing me injured and still in a cast, but I insist. Though I never told them it was I who saved Wapol's life and thus was sort of responsible for all the events that transpired, the guilt still weighs on my conscience, so I feel I have to do something to make up for it. In the end, they're gracious for my help, as having someone with many times the strength of a human helps quite a bit. There is, however, another man who can lift just as much. He is a Devil's Fruit user by the name of Dalton, and apparently he is the person most likely candidate for leader of the island. His power allows him to transform into some type of bull-man, which increases his strength tremendously.

When the doctor finally tells me I can remove the cast, it takes me for a bit of surprise. I had nearly forgotten I was still technically in her care. _So what do I do now?_ Sitting in the doctor's recovery room, I ponder where to go from here. Many of the citizens had suggested I stay and live on the island with them. I told them I appreciated the offer, but I couldn't. _Sorry folks, but for me, __givin' up and spendin' the rest of my days here'd be no different than kickin' the bucket. But... that don't mean I oughta run off just yet. Rushin' things is what got me in this mess in the first place. You waited long enough, Aki, there ain't no hurry._ So I wait.

A few days later I remember something I had been meaning to do.

"That you, Miss Squid?" a worker asks as I'm walking through the castle. I've refrained from telling them my name, so the citizens came up with that nickname for me. "What's with the get-up?" I have my old attire on, complete with a cloak over my back, my goggles and bandana hanging around my neck, and a new hat I had purchased down in the harbor town yesterday similar in make to the old one, pointy with a wide brim, though an olive-green this time instead of a dusty blue.

"What? D'you figure I always dress in hospital gowns?" I reply sarcastically. I'm glad to be wearing all this again, especially in this cold.

I check the hallways carefully as I trek down into the castle's lower levels. As far as I'm concerned, just because Wapol is no longer king here doesn't negate his offer. _"Anything from my treasury" he said._ Earlier in the day, I had overheard Dalton speaking with some workers, saying they were finally going to tackle cleaning the treasury tomorrow. Why they hadn't already is beyond me. _You'd think a country's wealth'd be high on the priority list. Ah well, I ain't complainin'. Gives me time to snatch a couple trinkets._

When I reach the treasury, its giant stone doors are closed, but not locked. Pulling one open, I find it has a little weight to it, but is still easily opened._ Bet they never figured someone'd come along who could move these things._ Once the door is open, I am greeted with a sight that would've made any proper pirate wet their pants. Gold and silver fills the room; statues, vases, armor, coins, trinkets, all manner of treasures are stacked on shelves that line the walls and form aisles through the dusty room. The treasury has seen disuse however, cobwebs and dust-bunnies everywhere. I have to hold in a cough upon entering the room it's so thick. I look through the aisles, trying to find something small enough to fit in my bag, yet still would probably sell for a enough to last me a while. I come across a rather nice goblet: golden, and encrusted with four gems on each side, two rubies and two sapphires, and snatch it up. I also grab a small handful of coins. _That'll all fetch a nice price._

I shove the goblet in my bag, and am about to slip out and leave the inhabitants of Drum Island none the wiser, when something catches my attention. Amidst all the precious metals and gems, amidst all the buried glitter and shine, is one very small, very out-of-place wooden chest, shoved underneath a shelf in the corner of the room. Curiosity takes the better of me, and I battle the cobwebs to reach down and pull it out. The chest has a lock on it, but the lock is old and decrepit, and all it takes is one good thwack to break it. Opening the chest, I find a small, lumpy object wrapped in a brown cloth. _What in the world could this be?_ I take the object out of the chest, and unwrap the cloth to find an yellow apple-sized berry, still perfectly preserved.

It takes me a moment to realize what I'm holding in my hands. _No way...! Is this what I think this is? Is this… a Devil's Fruit? It don't look like no fruit I ever seen before._ _Yeah, it must be! Why else would it be locked up in a treasury? These things are probably worth millions!_

Just then, an voice echoes throughout the halls outside. "Pirates! Pirates on the northern coast!" I immediately wrap the fruit back in its cloth, shove it in my bag and slide the empty chest underneath the shelf. "Dalton! Dalton, are you down here?" _Shit! He's gonna find me!_ Sure enough, a man does. It's kind of hard not to notice when a giant door that should be closed is wide open. "The treasury! They're already in-" He peers into the treasury, and spots me, red-handed. "Miss Squid? Don't tell me you're…!"

I give him an embarrassed "You caught me" grin and dash past him, shoving him down to the ground as I do. _Well, that's my cue to get. He said pirates, didn't he? Looks like I'm gonna be a stowaway again._

I speed out of the castle. Everyone I pass by either doesn't know I just stole what was probably their nation's greatest treasure, or is too distraught by the news of pirates to notice me. Reaching the castle gate, I spy a cable car ready at the platform. _Lucky!_

"Miss Squid! Are you coming to help ward off the pirates?" A man at the platform asks.

I'm about to go along with that story, until from the castle gate a woman shouts "Stop her! She just made off with items from the treasury!"

"You WHAT!?" the man at the platform exclaims. I decide in an instant to make a break for the cable car. The man tries to stand in my way, but I easily dispatch him, throwing him to the side, jumping aboard, and sending the car down the cable, escaping the mountain.

The yells of men and women are behind me as the car coasts along. I take a moment to catch my breath. The cold stings at my throat, but it feels good to be active again, moving about. Too long I had been lazying about in that castle. _Alright Aki, get back in the action. You gotta__ find a way aboard that ship. It's your only chance off this island now!_ I put my goggles and bandana back over my face and ready myself in case anyone is waiting for me at the cable's base.

Fortunately, no one is. At least, no one who's heard of my heist. _Better get before that changes. _A path had been made leading from the house-tree out into the open snowfields, but I don't take it. _Might run into trouble if news's already reached anyone down here. _I don't need the path anyway; I can find the pirates easily enough just by listening to the air. Pirates have a tendency to make quite a bit of noise wherever they go, and these are no exception. The sounds of gunshots and clanging metal grow louder the closer I come to the harbor, and to the black sails of a pirate ship in the distance.

When I reach the land's edge, Dalton is there, transformed, and has already almost entirely dispatched the pirate crew. "Captain! We can't take on a Devil's Fruit user! We have to leave here!" one pirate yells.

"Without a speck o' treasure to show for it!? What pirates could we call ourselves?" a wide-framed, mustached man in an expensive blue coat yells. He brandishes a whip to continue to fight back, but Dalton is on him. I spy the bull-man making a charge at the man. I too make a mad dash, to intercept. Dalton and I clash just feet in front of the captain. _His force is immense!_ I can barely hold my footing the bull-man has so much strength. _I never met someone with as much raw strength as me! These Devil's Fruits ain't no joke!_

"You! Why are you helping them?" Dalton shouts.

"I can't have you killin' my ride out, can I?" I smirk. Dalton growls, and continues to try and force his way past me. My tentacles have regrown enough; I utilize them to help constrict the bull-man. The pirate captain is half-frozen with fear. "Quick! Get back to your ship, and get yourself ready to set sail!" I address him.

The captain regains himself. "Ye- ye heard me, didn't you? We're not leaving empty-handed!"

_Just how stubborn are you!?_ With a spare tentacle I reach into my bag, fish out the goblet, and toss it his way. He fumbles for a moment, but catches it. "There! Now go!"

Dalton is shocked. "That was from our treasury! You stole that from us? Is this how you repay our hospitality!?" His voice is seething with rage, and I feel his strength increase. Another tentacle moves in to hold him tight.

"Repayment for makin' me lose my shot at Straw Hat yet again? Yeah, somethin' like that." In the split-second he's trying to make sense of what I just said, I jump off one foot and use the other to land a kick square in his jaw. The bull-man is rattled by it for a moment, but quickly recovers, seemingly unfazed. _Damn it, I shoulda known that wasn't gonna be enough. My kicks ain't never been as good as my punches. _Dalton uses my break in focus to wrestle himself loose a bit. With one hand, he sends a swift punch into my torso. The wind is knocked out of me for a second, and I'm sent skidding across the snow-covered pavement and into a large box.

I need to take a moment to catch my breath, but Dalton won't allow it. I see him readying himself for another charge. _I gotta move!_ Moving on instinct, I wrap my tentacles around the box behind me and raise it into the air. It's heavy, but I'm able to get it over my head, and with all my strength, I heave it towards him. _T__hat'll ain't gonne be enough to stop him._ Luckily for me however, there is a very good reason it had some weight to it: the box was filled with cannonballs. Dalton smashes through the box and is rewarded with several tons of metal to the skull. He isn't out for the count, but he is properly dazed.

I look back at the pirate ship. They just set sail, and are slowly drifting out to sea. I sprint towards the edge of the harbor, then make a triumphant leap off the dock towards the ship and latch onto the side of it.

Glad to escape the bull-man, a great sigh of relief escapes me. My strength is my greatest asset in a battle; fighting someone who equals me (or heaven forbid, surpasses me) in that aspect is something I'd prefer not to have to do. But even more so I'm relieved to be off the island, hopefully back on the road to pursuing my goal.

I climb aboard the ship, and see a crew with mixed feelings towards me. I probably just saved the life of their captain (I seem to have a knack for saving pirate captains), however they still haven't a clue who I am, or why I helped them.

"Quite a fight ye gave there, fishman!" the captain says. "I can't say I was expecting ye to flee to me ship, however."

_Is that how you say thank you?_ "Well, you ain't expectin' me to hang around there any longer after I went and stole from their treasury, are you?"

The captain pulls out the goblet and starts eyeing it. "No, I suppose not. So what are ye then? Some kind o' solo thief or something?"

I laugh, still somewhat breathless from the fight. "Nah, I ain't nothin' like that! I'm just a lone vagabond on a mission, that's all. One who needs transportation, mind you."

"Aha, I see yer game now, fishman." He turns to a stubby man in glasses. "Remind me again, Mr. Navigator, do we take passengers aboard our ship?"

"N-n-no sir," the navigator stutters. "No, we d-d-don't."

_Is he seriously gonna be this much of an ass? _"Ah, well there ye have it, fishman. We're real grateful for yer help, but I'm afraid we can't let ye stay on our ship. Unless of course…" he grins, and looks to his crew to do the same, "…ye join me and the boys here as a member o' the crew."

I almost flat out refuse by reflex, but instead take a quick moment to think it over. _Don't be so quick to decide, Aki. You need transportation. So what if it's with pirates? It ain't like it's a total obligation or nothin'. If need be, you can always get. Who's gonna stop you?_ "Alright." I respond. The look on their faces change. _That ain't the answer you was looking for?_ "But under one condition. I'll become a member of your crew, but I said I was on a mission, and that ain't changin'."

The captain strokes his moustache in contemplation. "Hmm… nothing that'll conflict with the crew's interests I take it?"

"Unlikely. There's a man I'm fixin' to find. Name's Monkey D. Luffy." _Please don't say you're huntin' him. Two times was enough._ "Worth 30 million Berries last I heard. And a number of other fellas as well."

The captain laughs. "A decent prey. Well then, we're agreed, are we? Boys!" he exclaims to the crew. "We've a new crew member joining us today! A crazy ass fishman, with a devil's worth o' fight in him! Mister… ah…" the captain turns to me "I never did catch your name, did I?"

"Aki Sinagra." I tell him. "But just 'Aki' is fine."

"A strange name for a strange lad." He mutters to himself, then extends a hand to shake. "Welcome to the Fang Frog Pirates, Aki."


	7. Chapter 7

**Seven – Back on the Sea! The Siege of Goldshore!**

The captain's name is Kiba, though the crew tells me he gets angry if anyone addresses him by anything other than "Captain". I hadn't thought pirates would care so much about trivial things like that, but I learn within only a few days of sailing with the Fang Frogs, that many of my presuppositions about pirates aren't quite as true as I had held them to be. For example, I had expected the life of a pirate to be all about lawlessness and ruthlessness, pillaging and stealing day and night, but we haven't done any of that. In fact, it's been five days since we left Drum Island, and the only "pirating" I've done is swab the deck, stay on lookout, or other menial tasks around the ship. Usually however, I'll be lazying about, as will be most of the crew, playing a game with some crewmates, working out, or simply taking a nap.

"Aki! Ain't ya hot in that get-up?" One of the crewmembers says to me, over a game of cards.

"Not really, no." I reply. I've kept my entire disguise on at all times, with exception only to the bandana when eating. The last thing I want to be is the only woman on a ship, even if I can take out every one of these losers single-handedly. _I guess Madam Nami was right; I do reap some of the benefits of pretendin' I'm a fella._ "I heard somewhere that every fishfolk's based off a' some ocean critter out there; I know I'm a squid, so I always figured I'm from a warm water one, on account a' I love the hot weather, but the cold? Hate it. I fold, by the way. This hand is worse than a baboon's behind."

The pirate laughs, though I can't tell if it's because he probably just won the match, or because I used too many big words at once. "I bet that winter island we found ya on wasn't too friendly to ya. So ya don't know what ya are then? Ya parents never told ya?"

_He had to bring that up._ "No, I was an orphan. I dunno nothin' bout my real parents." I say stoically.

"Ah, sorry to hear that, mate. Lots a' the boys here be in the same boat. Grew up in the streets, never knew they mum and dad, ended up becoming pirates to do something with they lives." I don't say anything in response. _Nice gesture, but that really ain't how my childhood went._ "Name's Joey, by the way." He says. _I doubt I'll remember it._ "So, ya ever think about looking for ya parents? Fishman Island be right here in the Grand Line, ya know."

_That_ _so? _I've wondered about my biological parents in the past, but never given any serious thought to seeking them out. As far as I've been concerned, my foster ones were more than good enough.

The door to the ship's inside swings open, and the captain strides out. "Aki! Get in here, I've a job for ye!" The captain takes me into the ship's war room, where the navigator and the head gunner are already waiting. In the center of the room is a table with a map of a very large island on it. "We'll be in Alabasta's climate zone soon. Word is they be caught up in a civil war; some revolutionary force or whatever's about to make its move on the capital. That's not what's important, though. What it means is that Alabasta's military force will be spread thin, especially along its most outer territories. Look here!" He points to a location on the map. I follow his finger to find a dot along the northwestern coast of the massive island. "We'll be raiding this town here, Goldshore. Alabasta makes a good deal of its munitions there, and we mean to stock up."

_We're raidin'...? I was afeared this'd happen eventually. Well, as long as all we're doing is stealin', I s'ppose it's… alright._ "We're just raidin', right? No killin'?"

The captain cocks an eyebrow into the air. "Don't tell me ye be a soft-bellied fishman, Aki." He says. I keep quiet. "Fine, aye, whatever." He continues. "Being a munitions port, they're like to have some defense in the vein of artillery set up though. Needless to say, the raid'll be all for naught if they manage to sink our ship before we even make it to shore. That's where ye come in, Aki. Yer the only one what can swim straight up to the port with nary a soul noticing. What I need ye to do first be to scout ahead for us. See what they're defenses be looking like, and if they have cannons or anything of that matter, take them out."

" 'Take 'em out', captain? How?"

"What, ye can't just smash 'em with that strength o' yers?" _Of course I can't, you're talkin' 'bout a damn cannon. _"Well, we've some remote explosives in the hold. I'll get Mickey to waterproof some for ye. How's that?"

I tell him that'll do just fine, and he dismisses me from the war room.

* * *

The raid begins two days later, in the dead of night. I can see the shores of Alabasta off in the distance. There is a small port town, and beyond that, endless dunes of sand. I notice some of the other pirates squinting to shield their eyes. _Lucky thing I came here in this disguise._ I don't have a single hair on my body, and that includes eyelashes. If I didn't have these goggles, I wouldn't be able to work in an environment like this, what with all the sand floating around in the wind and no way to keep it out of my eyes. I remember back to a time when I was traveling with my two best pals, and I learned that lesson the hard way walking through a grass field laced with clouds of pollen. _Unpleasant._

I receive the waterproofed explosives and their detonator, as well as a tiny Den Den Mushi to notify them when the coast is clear. I'd seen the strange snail-like communication devices before a couple of times, but we didn't have many of them where I grew up, so I have to admit I'm still a bit intrigued by the thing. I stick it in my bag, then hand my hat to the nearest crew member. "Hold on to that for me, will you?"

I hear a couple whispers among the crew once they see my head. _Yeah, yeah, go ahead and say it. Everyone does. 'What a freak!' 'That ain't natural!' I'm more than used to it._ I hop off the boat and into the ocean before I can get a chance to hear what slimy words they might have.

The coast is several miles southeast, but I make the trek in little time. Peeking above the waters, I can spot a few small fortifications in the town. On one end of the harbor stands a guard tower with a cannon fixed on top. Two more cannons are mounted on the dock, pointing out towards the sea. Other than that, I see nothing I need to destroy. At the guard tower are a small handful of soldiers, and I spy a couple more patrolling the docks. _Those two have rifles; I gotta knock them out first._ No civilians are in sight, and I thank my lucky star for that. I dive back beneath the water, and swim a ways down. Once I'm good distance under, I take a moment to ready myself for the fight, then dart up towards the surface.

Like a spear into the air I leap out of the ocean and onto the dock next to the soldier furthest from the guard tower. He's obviously startled, and I take the chance to bring a fist into his solar plexus, knocking him out cold. The other soldier hears the commotion and turns towards us. "Who there!? What's going on?" he shouts, and seeing my silhouette over the unconscious body of his comrade, opens fire on me. I quickly grab the knocked out soldier's rifle, toss it into the ocean, and then jump in myself, but not before a bullet grazes past across my arm.

_That smarts!_ I swim hastily to where the other riflemen had been, and leap out of the water once more, this time falling directly on top of the soldier. He lets out a violent cough and drops his gun as we tumble to the ground. I can see the fear in his wide-open eyes as I pin him to the ground with my tentacles. "I just need you to go to sleep for a spell, alright?" I say, and send a similar punch into his gut, rendering him unconscious.

No time to rest, I throw this soldier's rifle into the ocean as well. _Can't have em using these against me later._ Glancing over at the guard tower in the distance, I'm sure they've been made aware of my presence. _Gotta do this quickly, then._ I fish four explosives out, and run over to each of the cannons mounted on the stone docks, sticking two to the bottoms of each. Once that's taken care of, I dash towards the guard tower, and when I am close, two soldiers come running towards me, swords in hand. When we are in melee distance, one brings his blade up high and swings it down upon me. His stance is sloppy though, and his attack weak. I dodge it with little trouble, countering with a backhand connecting with his face. The other is a little more skilled, opting for a horizontal attack. In one swift movement I leap into the air, and the soldier's blade has no meal. I grab his sword arm with a couple tentacles, and as I land, I use them to break his grip on his sword, then toss him into the stone wall of the guard tower.

As I swing open the door inside, it slams into a soldier who was just about to exit. He's only disoriented, so I knock him in the gut to finish the job. Up the stairs two more come at me, and, despite them having the advantage of the high ground, I dispatch them easily enough.

At the top of the tower is a lone soldier, a young woman with curly red hair tied back in a ponytail. She is wielding a sword similar to all the others, ready to defend herself. But I hesitate. _She's so cute!_ "Ah, that Marine outfit looks adorable on you!" I exclaim.

"W-what!?" she stutters.

I've just about lost myself. "Madam, I really would prefer not to strike someone as gorgeous as yourself. Can't I convince you to lay down your weapon?"

Her face contorts with anger. "Who the hell do you think you are," she yells, "trying to take pity on me like that!?"

"Ah! Of course, I forgot! My name's Aki Sinagra, and I-" but before I can finish the sentence she's already on the attack. _Ah, you wound me, Madam! I hate to do this, but…_ Grabbing her sword arm by the wrist, I twist it so that she drops her sword, then pull her to the side, and send a swift chop to the back of her neck. She slumps into my arms, and I let out a sigh.

All the guards in the tower unconscious, I move their bodies outside, far away from the tower itself. _Can't have the explosion killin' 'em by accident._ I then return to the cannon on top of the tower and stick the remaining three explosives onto it. Pulling out the Den Den Mushi, I fiddle with it for a moment, trying to figure out how to work it. It's a strange creature, a snail of some sorts, asleep in my hand. There's a part of its shell that detaches from the rest of it, so I assume that's what I speak into.

"Hello? This thing workin'? Can ya'll hear me?"

"O' course I can hear ye." The snail shouts, with the voice of the captain. "What's the status?"

"Whoa! That you, Captain?" I exclaim. "But… the snail's the one talkin'!"

"Ye never used a Den Den Mushi before, Aki?"

"Well… no…" I clear my throat. "Ya'll lookin' at the shore?" I say, changing the subject. "You're about to see some fireworks."

I hang up the receiver and the snail falls back asleep. _What a queer little critter._ I stuff it back into my bag, and look out towards the town. A small group of guardsmen from inside the city have assembled and are making their way here. _Shoot. Gotta make this quick._ I peer over the edge of the guard tower, in the direction of the sea. _Alright, it's close enough I can make the jump._ I pull out the remote detonator for the explosives, and with a prayer and a running start, leap off the edge of the tower and press the button.

The force of the explosion is far more than I imagined it would be; I am propelled down into the ocean with tremendous force. Resurfacing, I spy the tower. It, along with portions of the harbor, are totally shattered. Frightened some of the soldiers may have been caught in the blast, I do a quick sweep of the area, but find them safe. _Thank goodness. I'd a' never forgiven myself if anyone was killed._

I turn towards the sea, and spot our ship steadily approaching. _Alright, l__et's get this over with._ I've never wanted to be a part of a pirate raid. In fact, I still loathe the idea, and can't believe I let myself go along with it, but it's far too late for second thoughts now.

The ship reaches the remains of the harbor, and pirates pour out of it onto the mainland, whooping and hollering up a storm. My part of the job done, I swim over to the ship, and climb up it to the deck, where Captain Kiba is watching the mayhem unfold on land with greedy eyes.

"Ah, Aki! Excellent work, dispatching those cannons and what!" He greets me with. "Come, have a look with me!"

I turn back towards the town. It's a sad sight. Most of the crew is gathering up supplies into rowboats to bring back to the ship, while the rest are fending off the small number of guardsmen I had noticed earlier. The guardsmen are obviously outnumbered. The two sides battle fiercely, but the crew is winning. With a vicious swing, a pirate buries his axe into the chest of one of the guards. The guard falls to the ground, lifeless.

"Captain!" I exclaim. "That man! He just… he just killed one of the guardsmen!" As I'm saying this, I watch another soldier fall to a pirate's blade.

Captain Kiba squints his eyes and a merciless grin forms across his face. "What of it?"

"You said-"

"This be a battle. Two factions fight, and the losers die." _I know that! I know soldiers are willin' to put their lives on the line! But this…!_ The captain turns towards me. "Ye can't be so lily-livered as to expect there to be not a single casualty, honestly?" All the guards have fallen. The pirates left not one alive. But they do not stop there. They continue on into the town.

"W-Where are they goin'?" I stammer. "Captain! We got what we came for! What are they doin'!?"

The captain does not respond. In his silence the sounds of pirates cheering, innocents screaming, and the merciless pillaging fills the void. Doors being smashed, glass breaking, wood burning, it all comes in a horrible rush of senses, and I am brought back into the past.

I am a little girl again, helplessly caught in a burning cityscape. Its inhabitants, trapped in the conflagration, scream and wail, but no rescue comes to them. All around me is death, buildings burning, faces melting. I try with all my effort to save them, but I am powerless before the destruction.

_The captain… this is all his doin'! I oughta…!_ I move to raise a fist towards the captain, but hear the telltale click of a gun's hammer right behind my head. "Don't even think about it." A cocky voice says. I recognize it as the head gunner, Larson. _When…!? When did he get there?_

I growl back at him. "And why the hell should I do what you say? I can have that gun outta your hand before you can blink."

He bends down close, putting his mouth to my ear. I can hear the maliciousness in his every foul breath. "Because I know your little secret, Miss Aki Sinagra." He whispers. My confidence immediately fades. My palms begin to sweat, and my knees are close to buckling. _How does he…!? That's impossible! How'd he discover?_

"Now now, Aki. Ye weren't about to do what I think ye were, were ye?" The captain sneers. "Yer going to stay right here, watch this town burn with me, and not move a muscle."

The last of the crew is now rowing back to the ship. They have left the town engulfed in flames. The old phobias I thought I had rid myself of well up inside me. _It's exactly the same… It's just like before. _I look out on the city, and a hellish symphony of screams amidst the crackling of a raging inferno fills the air. I can feel the fire burning into me once again, the pain still vivid after all these years. The town is a stark contrast of fiery orange on midnight blue, and all I can do is watch it burn. _Again I'm powerless... There's nothin' I can do._

_There's never anythin' I can do!_


	8. Chapter 8

**Eight ****–** Cruel Disappointment? The Pirate Resort, Mock Town!

After the raid at Goldshore, I am ostracized. The crew has stopped speaking to me, and I no longer sleep in the same quarters as them, instead sleeping out on the deck, be it rain or shine. I should be used to this, I should be impervious to what comes with being the outcast, but it still hurts inside. Even if it was for only a few days, I thought perhaps I had found a little something in common with this crew. But when we raided and destroyed Goldshore, I looked into the eyes of the men I had begun to consider comrades, and I saw different people. There was no remorse in their eyes towards the slaughter, towards the destruction. Beyond mere indifference even: they reveled in it.

I find I am talking to myself more. _Should I jump? Should I risk the mercy of the Grand Line again?_ The idea is tempting, to escape these monsters on the ship, but it is also foolish. Why trust my fate to these seas, when I could just flee the next time we hit port? _Should I even do that, though?_ Like it or not, I joined this crew. To flee would be a mark of shame forever plastered on me. I would never be afforded the luxury of sailing on a ship again. _But_ _do I even care about that?_ The back and forth debates battle on inside my head.

There is one person who speaks to me however, and only one person: Larson. I don't know how he discovered my gender, but the reason doesn't matter; he **did**, and now I'm paying for it. Whenever there's a dirty job, I'm the one who's made to do it. The first time he starts ordering me around, I confront him. "How do I know you won't just tell everyone anyway?"

"Hmph. A man doesn't go back on his word." He answers. "Not like you'd know that, princess."

Though the rest of the crew may have long quit speaking to me, their news still travels. "So, what're your plans when we hit Mock Town?" I overhear someone say one morning as I'm sitting down, leaning against the mast, pretending to be asleep.

"I's gonna get me a woman fo' the night is what I's gonna do!" Another responds.

"Bah!" a third remarks. "Save that for the late night. First thing I be doin' is hittin' the pub, and gettin' me a fresh ale."

"Aye," says the first, "all the grog on the ship's watered down to piss, it is."

"Hey." The second voice says, in a shushed manner. "You sure we should be talkin' 'bout this 'round him?"

They're referring to me, no doubt. I continue to feign sleep.

"What harm can it do?" the first replies. "He's asleep anyway, ain't he?"

"I dunno. Becker, go see."

"W-Why me?"

"Cause you be the one who mentioned him!"

The second pirate growls under his breath, then sighs. I hear his footsteps approaching. I contemplate jumping up and scaring the life out of him, but decide they might spill some information if they think I'm asleep. _I know the Captain's ordered the crew to keep quiet about some things around me._

His footsteps stop. "Lift up a tentacle!" one of his friends whispers. I can sense the man right in front of me. A rough finger touches underneath one of my front tentacles, and lifts it up just a bit. "Is it slimy?" the man's friend asks.

"Nah, it's dry and rubbery." _...Rubbery? _He sets it back down, then walks back over to his friends, who continue on their conversation. It turns out all my pretending went to waste, as they didn't divulge any hidden secrets. All I really discovered was that we'd be on land for four days.

We reach the island of Jaya that afternoon, and dock in the port of Mock Town. I'm surprised at first that a pirate ship can dock here so casually, but I quickly discover that the city is not one controlled by the World Government. In fact, it's exactly the opposite. This is obviously a city controlled by pirates. There is no military force to speak of; instead various pirate factions vie for control of the city. _I bet they get some violent turf wars here._ However, the city does not seem all that lawless, to be honest. The harbor looks just like any other, though entirely devoid of Marine presence.

I watch the majority of the crew leave the ship and head off into the city. _Reckon I oughta take a look around as well._ However, when I make to go ashore, I notice Captain Kiba standing at the doorway to the ship's interior, with a glare that, while not threatening, still unnerves me.

"Fancy yerself up and leaving the crew now that we be docked?" Says the captain.

_He's testin' you, Aki._ " 'Course not." I respond. "That'd put a mark a' shame on me as a pirate I'd never live down." I don't particularly mean what I say; there'd be no smear on my conscience if I left, but I figure it might be convincing enough for him to let me go if I use that line.

It works. "Oh? I can't say I took ye for that kind o' pirate, seeing how ye were almost at the brink o' mutiny back in Alabasta." I take that as enough of an okay to head into town. Walking across the plank to the dock, the captain says nothing, but I can feel his icy eyes still on my back.

I make a few stops our first day in port. First, I find an appraiser to take a look at the gold coins I nabbed from Drum Island so I can get some funds. They weren't worth as much my fantasies had me thinking they might be, but I leave the bank with more than enough money to last me some time. The Devil's Fruit would undoubtedly net me more Berries than I could carry, so it stays hidden away in the pouch for now.

Next, I find a clothing shop to find some new threads. My cloak was practically in tatters, as was everything else I was wearing. I decide on an olive-green cloak this time, to match the hat I bought on Drum Island, and a simple black shirt and pants. Before I put them on and leave the store, I borrow a pair of scissors from the clerk and cut two holes in the shirt, on each side of my abdomen, to give my gills room to breathe.

Lastly, I head to a supply shop to have a new pair of goggles made. The ones I had been wearing since I left Cocoyashi village were getting old and worn, the strap about to break, and the lenses scratched and dirtied up. _I did get 'em secondhand from a kid… _I ask the old man who runs the shop if I could get some custom-fit within the four days we'd be at port.

"It'll cost extra if you want them rushed." I tell him that's fine. He pulls out a measuring tape and takes a few measurements before sending me on my way.

I quickly find myself enjoying this place. The people here lead enviable lives; the men are wild, the girls gorgeous, but most of all everyone here seems so free-spirited. If my life worked via different circumstances, this might be a place I wouldn't mind staying in.

Wandering about the city with not much else to do, I end out outside a pub. _Hell, why not._ _Never actually had a drink before. _I walk in through the saloon double doors and my hat rubs up against the door's ceiling. I take a quick look around. The pub's filled with pirates, all having a laugh of a time in their drink. The bar is surprisingly vacant though, only a couple of people at it; the rest are all seated at the tables. They give me a few uneasy looks as I enter the pub, but quickly go back to their drinks.

"Oi, Aki! That ye?" Someone hails. I turn to find Joey and another one of my crewmates sitting at a table. "I don't give a Sea King's ass what the captain says. Get over here and have a drink." I walk over to their table, pull up a chair and take a seat.

"More like ye be too drunk to care about anything!" Another crewmate jeers. _Like you're one to talk._ He slides a pint glass my way and begins to fill it up, but the bottle runs out halfway through. "Oi, barkeep! Two more bottles of rum this way!" He turns back towards the table, and takes another swig from his own glass.

I peer into the fizzy golden glass. "Can fishfolk even drink this stuff?" I mumble.

"Sure ye can!" Joey laughs. "What, yer tellin' me ye've never had a drink before? What kind a man are ye?"

_Funny. Well, bottoms up. _I lower my bandana, lift the glass up and chug the contents. The entire glass downed in one go, I slam it back on the table and let out a deep breath. My crewmates give a cheer. _If that's what good drink tastes like I'd hate to try the stuff they've been drinkin' on the ship__._The barkeep hands us the two bottles requested, and we keep on drinking.

Four rounds later and the guys are completely plastered. I on the other hand, am barely feeling a thing. _That's it? Gee, thanks stamina. So much for having a little fun._ Just then, as I'm pondering the strange effects of alcohol, in walks in the last person I expected to see, yet the one I want to find more than any. Monkey D. Luffy pushes open the doors to the pub, followed by Roronoa and…

_Madam Nami!_ _You're a beauty of a sight in that spaghetti top!_ I'm about to leap over to her and give a delighted hello, when a feeling arises down below. _Shit… that rum went through me like a waterslide. _I look around the bar for sign leading to the outhouse, but see a pleasant surprise instead. _Indoor plumbin'? In a place like this? Do label me impressed. _I follow the signs down a hallway and find myself confronted with two doors, one for men and one for women. Looking back to make sure none of my crewmates (or anyone really) can see me, I mosey on in to the women's restroom and take care of a little business.

While I'm in there, I hear quite a deal of yelling outside. _Damn it,_ _Monkey. You better not be startin' a mess out there. I know how you operate._ Walking back to my table, I find my crewmates vanished. In fact, most of the bar's patrons have vacated, and in their places are a group of flashy looking pirates. One has a rather large kukri blade over his shoulder, with fresh blood dripping from its edge. A girl in a jumpsuit revealing generous cleavage is at his side, scoffing at the surroundings. At the bar next to Monkey sits a muscular, young, blonde-haired man with a wicked smile, wearing a captain's coat over his shoulders. _Somethin' in me tells me trouble's 'bout to go down._ _This might be a good chance to sit and watch, though. Yeah, I'll see how you deal with this clown, Monkey._ I sit back down at my table, now vacated.

The barkeep hands the two guys each a drink. "Well, drink up." The blonde man says.

"Hey, thanks!" Monkey says, with a smile on his face. "You're not so bad a guy after all!"

As Monkey raises the glass to his lips to take a drink, the blonde man grabs him by the scalp and slams his head into the bar, smashing it to a splintered mess. _Monkey, you idiot! You shoulda seen that comin'!_

The man with the kukri bursts into laughter. "I wasn't sure what Bellamy was about to do there for a moment! I should've known!"

I hadn't even noticed him move, but one of Roronoa's katanas is inches away from Bellamy's neck. "And just what do you think you're doing, underling?" The blonde man sneers.

"I might ask you the same question." Roronoa responds with. Nami tries to plea with him to put his sword away. "Shut up!" he shouts. "This guy asked for a fight, so I'm giving him one!"

Monkey stands up, and wipes the dirt and blood from his mouth. "Hah! You can still stand?" Bellamy taunts.

"Okay, then." Says Monkey, menacingly. "I hope you're ready."

The crowd of thugs jeers. "Oh! Looks like that guy's gonna fight Bellamy!"

Bellamy cackles. "This won't be a fight! It'll be a test, at best! Come on! Show me what kind of power you've got!" _Yeah, c'mon Monkey. I want to see how you cream him._

"Luffy, wait! We still haven't got what we came here for!" Nami exclaims, and turns to the barkeep. "Hey! Barkeep! We came seeking information on Sky Island! Do you know anything about it?"

The pub goes silent. Everyone looks as though they can't believe what they just heard. _Sky Island? What's that s'pposed to be?_

The cleavage girl speaks first. "She's kidding… right?"

The Straw Hat trio looks out on the crowd with blank expressions. "Because if you know the way there-" Nami continues, but is interrupted by a thunderous burst of laughter from the entire pub.

"Sky Island?" someone laughs. "Gimme a break!"

Nami looks confused. "W-What? The Log Pose is pointing directly at the sky!"

The crowd continues their hilarity. "Oh nooo, the Log Pose is pointing at the sky! Whatever shall we do?" someone heckles. Nami is blushing terribly. I want to console her, but I told myself I'd keep a low profile and watch.

Even Bellamy's calmed down a bit. "Oi, oi. Come on now." He chuckles. "You guys believe that old cock-and-bull story about there being an island in the sky? Man, thirty years ago called, they're wondering where you've been! Look, the Grand Line is full of unique ocean currents, including one near here called the Knock-Up Stream. Ships that fall victim to that stream are blasted high into the sky, only to fall straight back down into the ocean. A bunch of retard sailors from long ago saw ships falling down from it, and imagined an island in the sky. 'There must be another world up there!' " He mocks. "What a load!" _Monkey, you better whoop this fella. I don't care about this Sky Island of yours, but don't let his crew get away with this ridicule._ Bellamy continues. "I was even going to let you into my crew if you passed the test for the New Era, but man – you're a lost cause. Listen up though, because I'm only gonna say this once! The age of dreams is **over**! The City of Gold? The Emerald City? The great treasure One Piece? Fools with their eyes on the treasures of dreams don't notice the **real **treasures all around them! They die hoping and praying, and they never get anything from it."

His words sting me. All my life I've had a similar goal, an obligation, one he would surely call an unobtainable dream. Everything I've done has been to further my way in making that dream a reality. I can't help but feel there's some truth to his words. Looking at things logically, I probably won't succeed in reaching my ultimate goal, and die full of regret and sorrow._ But I ain't got a choice, right? 'Course not… I think._

"Dream-chasing idiots like you really make my stomach turn!" Bellamy growls, and sends a vicious punch spiraling into Monkey's cheek. He falls to the ground, and lies there. _He… Monkey closed his eyes! Just before the punch landed! What're you doin', you moron!? Don't let him show you around like that! Fight back!_ "It's because of weaklings like you that the rest of us **real** pirates get a bad reputation." Bellamy sneers.

Someone throws a bottle at Monkey and it smashes just beside his head. "Get out of here, maggots! You're making my rum taste bad!" The rest of the crowd joins in, tossing bottles, boxes and anything else they can find at the Straw Hat trio. Nami moves to avoid the projectiles, but Monkey and Roronoa stand steadfast and take the punishment. "Bellamy, looks like the folks here want a show!"

"Well that's an easy request!"  
"Luffy! Zoro!" Nami shouts. "Beat the crap out of these guys already!" _You and me are on the same page, Madam. This is a sick sight._

Monkey sits up. "Zoro," he says gravely, "we aren't going to fight." _What!?_ I'm gritting my teeth together in anger. _Is this who I been chasin'? Someone who won't even fight for what he believes in? For his dreams?_

The pirates get up out of their chairs and start joining in with Bellamy, beating the hell out of Monkey and Roronoa. "Luffy! Zoro!" Nami pleads. "What the hell are you doing!? You can take these guys! Fight them! Beat them up! Kick their asses! Anything!"

"It's no use, babe." Says the man with the kukri. "They're too smart for that. They know when they're up against someone they can't beat." _Is that true, Monkey? Can you seriously not beat these lowlifes? Did I misjudge your strength this whole time?_

"Guess your captain doesn't even have one scrap of dignity in him!" One of Bellamy's men taunts. "The Marines are a charity, handing out thirty million Berries for trash like him." Says another.

Bellamy takes a mighty gulp of his liquor, then sprays it out onto the faces of Monkey and Roronoa, who take it unflinching. "Get these guys outta here. They're eyesores."

With nothing but shame and rage in her, Nami grabs the two and drags them out of the pub. Bellamy's crew continues to holler at them. I can't stand it. I'm burning with anger as well. I stand up, violently shoving my chair behind me. The motion attracts the attention of the pirates, who get quiet and look my way. "Oi there, tall guy. You look pretty angry." Remarks Bellamy. "That worm a friend of yours or something?" I respond with silence, and make to leave the pub. "Why didn't you help him then?"

A man walks in front of me. "If he's part of that Straw Hat crew, he's probably as much of a loser as his captain is!"

_That's **it**!_ With a great burst of strength, I send an uppercut into the pirate's face, and his jawbone shatters into pieces under the force. He flies up into the air and crashes through the ceiling of the pub. The pirate crew is stunned for a moment.

"I came here for a drink, not a lynchin'." I spit the words at him, and walk out of the pub. No one bothers following.


	9. Chapter 9

**Nine – Frantic Pursuit! The Power of the Knock-Up Stream**

Leaving the pub, Monkey is nowhere in sight, and the street is oddly unpopulated. _Is a bar fight _**_that _**_regular 'round here? If you can even call that a fight, that is._ I decide to head towards the harbor.

Ten minutes later my footing becomes wobbly, and my speech slurred. "Oi, watch it, buddy!" A guy says after I knock into him.

"Uhh, I didn't- I wasn't… I didn't mean to do uh… that…" I mumble.

The guy scoffs at me. "Damn drunk."

_The hell? _**_Now_**_ I'm gettin' drunk? How's that work out?_ _Damn… beer… or was it… uh… what'd I drink again? _I bump into another fellow. This time **I'm** the one shouting. "Hey! Where you goin' you… you ugly… uh…" He doesn't look like the type to put up a fight, and ignores me. "…No wait! I got it, I know this word, you're an ugly… an ugly…" People are staring, though they're quickly turning into mere blurs. "What are you bastards lookin' at, huh?" I garble. "Never seen som'one like me before? Eh? That's right! I'm a big fishman! I'll mess you li'l humans up! Burn ya goddamn city down! Just like…" No longer able to stand up straight, I lean into a wall and sit down. "Just like… uh…" The world's spinning around me. _Just like… something. This is all that Monkey's fault. I oughta… I oughta go find his ship and whoop his ass…_ _Nah, I don't even wanna look at that guy… forget him… I'll just… take a little nap here…_

* * *

When my eyes open, they are greeted with the very first lights of dawn over the eastern horizon. _Where am I? _My mind is jumbled; it takes a moment for me to reorganize my thoughts.

_I remember... I left the bar, and was headin'… where was I headin' again? _I stand up, and my head is pounding. _Ugh..._ _Ain't doin' that again soon..._ I look around. I'm at the edge of town, near the forest. "The hell am I doing all the way out here?" I mumble.

Just then, someone runs into me from behind, nearly knocking me over. The culprit doesn't stop running however, giving only a quick "Sorry 'bout that!"

I take a moment to catch my balance, then look up at the guy. He's already put some distance between us, but I can clearly make out a large bag full of something slung over his shoulders and a pair of blue capri jeans. "Watch where you're goin'!" I shout, growling at the guy.

He turns around and I recognize the face immediately. "Come on! I said I was sorry!" Monkey D. Luffy apologizes again, then continues to run off into the forest.

_That was…!_ I begin to run after him, which only makes my hangover even worse. "Hold it!" I shout, but Monkey has already gained a bit of ground on me and doesn't hear me, or he chose not to stop. _Damn it, you're gonna make me chase after you, aren't you?_ He runs into the forest, and I pursue.

Things haven't changed from Loguetown – he's still a faster runner than I am. I can tell I'm losing him as I give chase through the thick jungle. It's not long before I lose sight of him, and am following merely by sound. Then, even that becomes unclear. _Was that him? Was that an animal? Which way?_

I don't want to admit it, but I'm lost. I continue chasing him, or at least what I think is him, until I come to the edge of the island. A tiny cliff stands just beyond my feet, and at its bottom the ocean. Catching my breath, I swivel my head back and forth in sight of Monkey. _Is he in the ocean? Can he swim?_ I peer out into the waters, but there is no one in sight. Stumped, I decide to dart off along the coast and hope I come across him before I eventually make my way back to the town. _Sometimes I think I'm plum crazy. But I can't lose him again!_

I run for a good thirty minutes, the waters down below splashing madly against the bottom of the cliff, occasionally spraying me with sea water, until I come to something out of place. A small clearing in the jungle has been made along the island's edge, and in that clearing is a clay hut with a shingled roof, and a large wooden cutout affixed to the ocean's edge of the hut. Outside the hut, looking off into the ocean sits a large man in his middle age smoking a cigarette. On top of his head, of all things, seems to be a large chestnut growing out of his scalp. Ignoring the oddity of the entire scene, I rush over to him.

"Sir!" I address, out of breath. He turns my way, with little apparent interest in me. "D'you see a kid with a straw hat run through here?"

His face perks up. "You mean Luffy?"

"Yeah! Yeah, that's him! D'you know him? Did he pass by here?"

The chestnut man turns back towards the ocean, and inhales a deep drag on his cigarette. "'Fraid you just missed him, buddy. He's already out to sea."

_No, no, no, NO! _"W-When? When did he leave!? Where'd he go!?" I yell.

He looks surprised at my outburst. "Not ten minutes ago. Look." With his cigarette, he points out to the sea. I follow his arm, squinting out into the sunrise-painted waters. Sure enough, far on the horizon are three ships, two large with one smaller ship in between them. "Where they're goin' though, you can't follow. You'd be best to give up on- hey!" Before his sentence is even halfway finished, I throw my hat to the ground, run towards the cliff and dive into the ocean. I'm no longer listening to the man yelling at me from land. I'm no longer listening to anything but the burning will inside me to catch the man who's eluded me so well these past months. _I can swim faster than they can sail easily! I'll catch up with 'em!_

After some time swimming at breakneck speed through the ocean, I am close enough to the ships that I can spot the crews aboard each of them. Sure enough, in between the two massive ships is Monkey's small caravel, and on board I can spy him, Roronoa and Nami onboard. The closer I came to the three ships, the more turbulent the waters had become. At first they were near still, and I was easily able to blaze through them at my fastest speed. But now, they are wild, violent, and it's taking a great deal of concentration to maintain a straight heading.

When I reach Monkey's ship, I latch onto it above the waters, and take a moment to catch my breath. _Shoot... __I don't think I ever swam that hard before._ Once the feeling in my muscles returns, I climb up. Not only the ocean has become more restless, the sky too has become dark and foreboding. _When'd we pass under a storm cloud? _

I jump on top of the deck and make my presence known. "Monkey D. Luffy!" I yell as loud as my tired breath will allow. As if to dramatize my entrance, a bolt of lightning strikes in the distance, and rain begins to pour. Everyone on board the ship looks my way. I look back at them, remembering their faces. _Looks he's got a couple new allies. One's pretty cute._ "I got you now, you coward!" I scowl.

"Is this a friend of yours, Luffy?" a little reindeer-creature thing asks. I recognize him as the doctor's assistant from Drum Island.

"Hmm… don't think so…"

"You just bumped into me this morning, and already you forgotten? Again!?"

"Oi, hold on!" Sanji exclaims. "I remember you! You're the asshole I fought in Loguetown! What the hell are you doing all the way out here?"

I point straight towards Monkey. "You! I've been through hell chasin' you down, Monkey!"

"No, the monkeys are over there." Monkey cuts in, and points to one of the larger ships, which has now pulled in ahead of us and is now tugging Monkey's caravel by a couple of grapples. I look on board, and sure enough, a large monkey in a captain coat is looking back at us. _This is a joke, right?_

"Aki!" Nami yells. _She remembered my name again!_ "I don't know what you're doing here, but you have got **really** bad timing! You can deal with this later! We've all got bigger problems!" She points to port side, and I look off to a terrifying visage. A giant whirlpool, miles wide, extends down below to a dark abyss, and both ships are being pulled into it.

I shriek. "What is that!? What are ya'll doing sailin' into that!? You crazy!? There ain't no way you'll survive that!"

"We'll be fine!" Monkey says, with a big goofy smile on his face. "The Chestnut Man and the monkeys fixed up Merry so she'll sail straight up to Sky Island!"

"Sky… Island?" I mutter. _Nami mentioned that in the tavern. _"You mean an island… in the sky?"

"Yeah!" he exclaims. "I know it's up there!" _He's crazy! There can't possibly be such a thing… right? And what's the point? He's riskin' his whole crew for somethin' he ain't even sure exists? I should leave. I should get off the ship… shouldn't I? What's the point if Monkey dies? If __**I**__ die? _I'm frozen._ Do I jump? Do I stay? _I look off the side of the ship, at the raging sea below it._ If I'm fixin' to abandon 'em, this is my last chance… any further and the current'll be too strong to escape._ My resolve thickens._ NO!_ _No, I ain't losin' my chance at him again! I **will** confront you, Monkey!_

"Okay guys!" I hear the monkeys aboard the other ships shout. "You're on your own from here on in! Good luck!"

And then, we're falling. All the shaking from the turbulent waters ceases. I dash to the side of the deck and look over the edge. _The boat... it ain't touchin' the water! We're floating in midair, in the middle of the whirlpool!_

Usopp and I both scream.

"It's okay, guys!" Monkey assures us.

"How is this okay!?" Usopp cries, tears streaming out his eyes.

"Because they put wings on the ship of course!" The young captain grins. _This kid is an idiot, pure and simple. There is somethin' wrong with his brain. He don't see danger from a whirlpool the size of an island, but he cowers in fear from a thug in a bar?_

Then, we land. Gently, I might add, in calm waters. All of us aboard the ship are speechless. _What just happened?_

"Th-the bottom of the whirlpool… was stopped by the sea floor itself." Nami gasps.

No one says anything for a moment. The air, the sea, everything is eerily silent. "Um…" I say, genuinely terrified, "I'm what you pirates might call a 'landlubber'; what d'you mean by that, Madam?"

"It means it's already begun." Says Nami.

"W-w-what's begun? H-Hey! What's begun?"

Just then, a rumbling shakes my feet. "Everyone, brace yourselves or get into the cabin!" Sanji orders. The crew begins scrambling about on the ship. _Are we… risin'? What in the world is goin' on here!?_

I'm utterly confused. "What's begun? What is this?"

"The Knock-Up Stream!" Nami exclaims. "The sea's going to explode!"

_'Explo_ Before the thought can even process, the sea detonates with a force I could have never imagined. Straight up into the air, a column of water moving at lightning speed ascends into the heavens, and takes us with it.

"This is insane!" Sanji yells. "The ship's sailing straight up the surface of the stream!" He isn't exaggerating one bit. Monkey's ship has been turned on its side and is sailing straight upwards! Caught off guard by the initial blast, I'm hanging on to the back railing of the ship for dear life with every limb I can manage.

"This is awesome!" Luffy shouts with glee.

"How can you say that!?" Usopp cries. _I'm with him!_

"Hold it!" Sanji warns. "The hull's starting to come loose from the current! At this rate, we'll just get thrown off and fall back down!" _My grip is startin' to come loose as well! _

I want to yell, but my voice is lost in the noise. My hands are no longer able to grab the railing, and I'm hanging on by just my tentacles now.

"Unfurl the sails!" Nami commands. "Right now! Someone take the rudder so that we catch the wind from the starboard side! Bring the hull in line with the current!" _Wind? She wants **more** speed? I ain't gonna be able to hold on after that!_ My tentacles' grips are being lost, one by one. _Can't… hold… on!_

The ship's sails are let loose, and catch the wind. The hull begins to become unattached from the water. "We're falling!" Monkey shouts. "Nami, we're falling! Do something!"

"No! We're good!" _I ain't good!_ I'm holding on by only three tentacles at his point.

Then, the ship detaches itself from the stream, and gains a tremendous amount of speed from the wind behind it.

And I fall.


	10. Chapter 10

**Ten – Prey Lost? Finishing Business in the Pirate Haven**

I am both suspended in the air, and suspended in disbelief. _I let go… I can't believe I just… _Then, gravity resumes its business, and I begin to descend. For a moment I am in shock, until I regain my senses, and become aware I am currently hundreds, if not thousands of feet high in the sky, plummeting towards the ocean. My initial reaction is to freak out, and I do, until I realize that that will get me nowhere. _I think I can survive this. I might just be able to! Fishfolk bodies are stronger built than humans', and I've spent my life trainin' my strength and endurance; I **might**__ be able to survive this!_ The water is getting closer. _This is gonna hurt like hell though. _I widen my body out to get as much air resistance as possibly, hoping that will slow my descent somewhat. The air resistance is incredibly powerful, especially on the webbing between my fingers and toes. I pray it's working. _Okay, just keep this up until you're close to the water._ The ocean is even closer now. I spy the monkeys' ships off to the side a bit, sailing back towards Jaya. _Just a little more..._ I can see the waves.

_Now!_ Instantly, I straighten my body up like a torpedo, arms above my head forming a point, tentacles flattened against my body, eyes closed, and my body pointing straight down.

The impact is shattering. Pain jolts throughout my entire body, and I black out.

I come to underwater. Once I realize I'm conscious again, the first thing I do is assess my situation. The poignant pain in my arms tells me something's probably broken. I take a look at them and the wrists are incredibly swollen and discolored. _That's what I get for lettin' them hit the water first. Better them than my head though._ I resurface, and find the ocean is still violent, but the Knock-Up Stream has dissipated. _That'd a' been bad if I hit the water and was sent straight back up thanks to that thing._ In the distance I can just barely spot land. I assume it's Jaya, so I begin to swim in that direction.

I reach the island an hour or so later, and my muscles are at their limits. I cannot see Mock Town, but I do spot the chestnut man's hut, standing out vividly from the jungle surrounding it, so I head in its direction. Finally at the island itself, I scale the small cliff with my last little bit of stamina, then fall to the ground once I am at its top, exhausted beyond measure. A door opens, followed by footsteps, and out of his hut comes the man with the chestnut atop his head.

"Oi, someone there?" He spots me. "Oh, it's you again. "You alright?"

I'm so out of breath I can barely form the words. "N… no… I ain't. Fell from… sky... arms… broken." I gasp.

"You fell from the sky? Don't tell me… You were after Luffy, weren't you? Did you get caught in the Knock-Up Stream?" _That's right. I was so plum tired I almost forgot._ _I lost him yet again, didn't I? It's almost like fate don't want me to catch him at this point._ "I'm not a doctor, but I can at least give you something to eat, to regain your strength."

"That…" I wheeze, "that would be awesome."

"Can you stand?"

"I dunno." I try to push myself up with my tentacles, but find there isn't an ounce of strength left in me, and fall back down to my knees. The chestnut man walks over to me and slings my arm over his shoulder. It hurts like hell, and I let out a small cry of pain I quickly muffle up. Supporting my weight, we walk to inside his hut, where he puts some fish on a grill to cook. I collapse onto a chair, and he hands me a bottle of some liquor to drink, but I decline. _Not after yesterday. _I am glad just to be sitting down and safe, though losing Monkey again has put a damper on my spirits.

The fish are grilled and we dig in. Hungrier than I thought, I devour the majority of the food. The chestnut man looks surprised at first when I use only my tentacles to handle the food, but quickly gets over the oddity of it. _I s'ppose it **is** pretty queer-lookin'. My arms hurt too damn much to be used for anythin', though._ The meal is finished, and I feel refreshed, though still in a good deal of pain. "That was too delicious. Just what I needed! I owe you for this."

The chestnut man raises a palm towards me. "Don't worry about it. You caught me in a good mood. By the way," he reaches behind him on a shelf, grab my hat and tosses it at me, "you left this here."

I catch it with a tentacle and plop it on my head. "Ah! I forgot about you!" I stand up and give a courteous, if sloppy, bow. "Again, thank you."

"Ehh, quit bein' so polite. That doesn't sit well on this island. You know the way back to town?"

"No, not really." I admit.

"Well, I'll take you then. I got business in town anyway."

I thank him again and he just grumbles. We head out along a beaten path through the jungle. It doesn't take long for my injuries to catch up to me; my legs are aching terribly, and I'm lagging behind him.

"Oi, you okay back there?" says the chestnut man.

"I'm fine!" I say, though my breath is vanishing from me as I do.

"You need any help?"

"No!"

He walks back to me. "Yeah you do. You should get to a doctor and have those injuries looked. I figured being a fishwoman you could handle it, but I guess they're pretty bad."

I shrink back from him. "H-how'd you know!?"

"Know what?"

"My… that I'm a woman! How'd you know?"

"Oh, that. I could tell when I helped you into the house. What, you're not like… ashamed of it or something, are you?"

"No!" I exclaim. " 'Course not! I just… I got my reasons for keepin' it hidden, that's all."

He scratches the chestnut atop his head. "Well, whatever. Here, hop up." I look at him, dumbfounded. _What's he on about?_ "I'll let you ride piggyback to town."

"You're kiddin', right? You'd better not be takin' pity on me on account a' my gender." _Though I s'ppose I ain't one to talk..._

"Of course not. Doesn't matter if you're male, female, or whatever, someone injured shouldn't be hikin' through the jungle." _Oh. That's… well okay. But he's still shirtless and sweaty and…! Blegh! _While I'm too preoccupied grossing out, I fail to notice him bend down and pick me up. Startled, I move around a bit, but he manages to heave me over onto his back. "Quit squirming, will ya?" He says. I give up, and let him carry me. _This is so embarrassin'… and nasty._

When we near Mock Town, I hop off. _No one will ever know that happened. _He gives me directions, and we part ways. It isn't until I reach the doctor's clinic that I realize I never got the man's name. _Ah well. He'll remain sweaty chestnut man._

The doctor tells me both my wrists are broken badly, and that it's a miracle that's all. An hour of painful cracking and repositioning bones and joints later and I feel like an idiot walking out of the clinic. I look down at my arms, both of them kept in place by casts. _This is becomin' a mighty familiar scenario…_ I sigh.

A couple pirates lounging around outside the building chuckle. "Hey guys, check out the mummy!" One jeers. His friends laugh.

I growl at them. "You keep talkin' assholes, and I'll put ya'll in a pair a' these too!" I yell back. They just keep laughing. _Forget 'em. I oughta just head back to the ship for now. The captain's probably thought I up and abandoned the crew._ I take one step forward, and I hear a loud snap. My goggles fall off my face and to the ground, the strap broken. I curse loudly into the air, and that only makes the peanut gallery laugh harder. Ignoring them as best I can, I leave the goggles where they lie and stomp off to the harbor.

"Well well, the spineless one returns!" Larson hails, as I walk back onboard the ship. "Ah, I'm sorry – you **are** a squid. Guess you can't help it." He laughs at his own joke. I escape down below deck to the crew's quarters before he can give me any orders. _I need one hell of a nap._

When I enter the quarters, I come across Joey of all people. "Oi, didn't think I'd be seein' you again." He says. The man is faced away from me, as though he's hesitant to speak with me.

I sigh. "Crew wants me gone that badly, huh?"

"W-what? No, no. Nothing like that. When we saw Bellamy and his gang up and trot into the pub, we thought anyone left in there was a dead man for sure." He turns his gaze my way.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." I say, but he doesn't seem to be listening. His expression has changed, instead peering inquisitively towards me. "W-what? What you lookin' at me like that for?"

He squints. "Without them goggles on… ye got some pretty eyes, ye know that?"

"The hell's that s'pposed to mean, boy!? I yell, and punch the guy in the cheek, forgetting my hand is in a cast and grasping it in pain afterwards.

"N-Nothing! Nothing." He apologizes, rubbing his cheek. "Forget I ever said that. Seriously, I dunno what the hell just came outta my mouth there." A pause. "So what, ye get in a fight with some a' Bellamy's men yesterday?"

"Nah, someone much worse." I say.

"Who the hell round here's worse than Bellamy's blokes?"

I give a laugh beneath my breath. "The sea." Joey looks confused, and I leave him like that, climbing into a hammock for some well-deserved sleep.

The captain didn't like me sleeping in the crew's quarters, but oddly didn't dole out any punishment for it. _I can't see him havin' a shred of sympathy, even for someone injured._ _Oh well._ I don't let it bug me.

Though all is far from sugar and rainbows, the crew is slowly easing up. Some, like the men I drank with, have all but ignored whatever orders told to the crew to keep their distance from me. Others are slowly reopening back up with me. I feel a little less ostracized now than I did when we arrived at Mock Town. Larson and the captain are still total assholes, though. I trudge through the grief and humiliation.

Since returning that day after losing Monkey I've stayed on the ship, until the evening before our departure comes and I head to the supply shop to pick up my new pair of goggles.

"Dang! These fit nice!" I exclaim, upon trying them on. I never realized before just how uncomfortable the previous pair were.

"Pleasure doing business with you, miss." The shopkeeper says. "Though, I still can't imagine what a fishwoman needs a pair of swim goggles for." He adds in. I laugh, thank him and exit the shop.

We leave port later the next morning, to wherever the Log Pose is directing us next.


	11. Chapter 11

**Eleven – Pirates on the Horizon! The Doctor, the Assailant, and the Fishman  
**

"Aki, how long ye plan on wearing them mittens?" Captain Kiba yells at me, a couple days after we've left Mock Town.

"Doc said to keep 'em on for week, Cap'n." I respond.

"Our doc?" Asks the captain.

I shake my head no. "Port clinic."

The captain reaches under his hat and scratches his scalp. "I wouldn't trust the quacks in that town with a scraped elbow. Go see what Malkov thinks." _Dang._ _I'd hoped to avoid this…_

From what I've seen of Dr. Malkov, he's a reclusive old man who doesn't speak much with others, but he knows how to treat illness and injury better than most doctors. He carries with him an air that suggests he was raised in a higher class of society than the rest of the crew; how he ended up a pirate is beyond me. When I walk into his office on the ship he's fast asleep in his chair, a book over his face, snoring loudly. "Doc." I say. My voice should've been loud enough to wake him, but he keeps on sawing logs. "Doc!" I shout. No change. Annoyed, I pinch his nose shut. His snoring stops, and a few moments later he jolts awake and falls out in his chair with a crash.

"Aki? Goodness, you nearly gave me a heart attack." Grumbles Malkov, getting back to his feet. He has a slight Mariejoian accent that gives me pause for a moment.

"Quit bein' such a heavy sleeper, then. Cap'n told me to come pay you a visit."

"About…?"

"These." I hold up my arms.

"Ah, vhat? Is he vanting me to take zem off?"

"I guess, I dunno."

"Hm. Well, lemme have a look zen." Several minutes later and my arms breath the sea air once again. I try bending my wrists, and am rewarded with a bit of pain. "Still hurt?"

"Just a tidge." I answer. He tests a few more spots along my hands and forearm, looking to see what still hurts.

"Vhat happened, anyway?" He asks me.

"Wouldn't believe me if I told you." I say.

"Please. Vhen you get as old as me, you've seen so much crazy stuff you'll believe just about anysing. And if you want a proper check-up, I should know anyvay."

_ This oughta be interestin'._ "The Knock-Up Stream got me."

Dr. Malkov fumbles in his seat for a moment. "Beg your pardon? Ze Knock-Up Stream 'got' you?"

"That's what I said. You noticed it while we was at port, didn't you? It was just off the coast a' Jaya. I was chasin' down a bounty," I explain, altering the tale just a bit, "and his ship got caught in the Knock-Up Stream. Shot us up a good piece. I abandoned ship before we was too high, but it was still a drop several hundred feet before I hit the ocean." I try to relay all of this as nonchalantly as I could, but it's rather difficult considering how ridiculous of a story it is.

The doctor takes a handkerchief and wipes his brow. "If zat's true, I'd say it's a miracle you're alive at all."

I grin. "Doc at Mock Town said the same thing. Guess I'm built a' tough stuff."

"Qvite. Regardless zough, I'd better look you over, just to make sure you don't have any furzer injuries to speak of."

"'Look me… over'?" I repeat, with a cringe.

"Yes, yes. Injuries don't always trigger pain you know. Somesing could've become dislodged here or bruised zere, and it vouldn't manifest itself until later. Best to treat anysing here and now."

I let out something halfway in between a sigh and a groan. "What happens here stays in here, right?" I ask.

"Yes, yes, of course, of course, I'm a doctor before a pirate. Vhy are you so being so shy?" _Reckon I gotta take his word for it._ Systematically I remove my hat, goggles, and bandana and set them down on the floor. I expect a startling reaction, but the doctor doesn't give one. "Aha, zat's it then. I understand. I've seen lots of vomen disguise zemselves as men and sneak aboard as pirates. More commonplace than you sink. Don't blame you vis zis crew. Vell, vell, what are you vaiting for? Ze rest comes off too. Don't give me zat look; I'm a doctor!" I give a weak smile, and comply. _What the hell am I worried about? He's a fragile old man. It ain't like you to be so timid, Aki. _I lift up my shirt so he can check for broken ribs and he lets out a tiny gasp. "Zose are some dreadful scars on your back. How long have you had zem?"

"Since I was a child." I tell him. "Don't ask me how I got 'em."

"Vasn't going to. You're far from ze only pirate with a past they'd rather forget." _If only I could be allowed to forget._

Dr. Malkov determines that I have no additional injuries. Wrapping my arm in bandages from the palm to the forearm, he tells me not to do anything too strenuous with my wrists for the next week, but that other than that I should be fine. He then sends me on my way and resumes the nap I had interrupted.

* * *

Except for one incident, not much happens within the next three weeks. Overstocked on food and supplies, we sail the open seas at a leisurely pace. In that entire timeframe, we don't come across a single ship. I had always thought the Grand Line was full of pirates, but I never really took into account just how big the sea actually is. As odd as it is for someone of my species, I've spent most of my life inland, having with only a vague concept of the sea and its grandeur for most of my life. It's quite ridiculous just how much of **nothing** it seems to be, even if it does become incredibly violent at times, and without any warning.

"Aki." Larson shouts to me one night, as I'm swabbing the deck. "You're coming with me. Now."

"Captain's got me swabbin' the deck. He change his mind?" I say.

"The captain can stow his damn orders." Larson scoffs. "Come on." He leads me down below deck, and I follow begrudgingly. _I don't know what's up, but I might could use this to drive a wedge between him and the captain. _We make our way into a spare storage room, unused and empty of anything but dust and a few boxes.

"The hell's this all about?" I ask.

Behind me, Larson shuts and locks the door. The only light is from the stars and a low moon beaming cold light into the room through a circular window. "Your clothes." He says, pulling out a pistol from behind his waist. "Take them off."

"Excuse me?"

"Did I stutter, princess? Do it, or I swear I'll tell everyone your secret."

"This disguise is the only thing keepin' that 'secret' from gettin' out." _I know what this rat's up to, but I'll be damned if I don't go down without a fight._

"I locked the door; no one's going to know a thing. Now do as I say!" His breathing is heavy, uncontrolled.

I growl out a sigh, and follow his order, hesitantly, cautiously, testing every move. The hat, goggles, and bandana come off first, exposing my face. I look him in the eyes in a scowl. He doesn't flinch. Perhaps he wasn't entirely sure of what he was blackmailing me with, and needed confirmation. He took a moment, then growls "Alright, now the rest."

"I know what you're thinkin' a' doin', Larson…" I tell him, throwing my cloak to the side. A crazy idea pops into my head, and with nothing else other than overpowering him and jumping ship as a course of action, I decide to try my luck. "…and you'd be plum crazy to try it."

He cocks an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" He snarls.

"I mean," I say, grabbing the collar of my shirt, pretending as if I'll continue, "don't you know what happens to human fellas who do… **that** with fishwomen?" He doesn't say anything, only starts to look a little frightened. _I think it's workin'! Okay, come up with somethin' good, Aki._ "That look tells me you don't." I pause. "Certainly you wondered why fishmen are so strong, right? Well they gotta be! Because, well… Now how can I put this best?" Walking slowly up to him, I hold my hand up in the air in front of his face. "You ever take a banana, or somethin' nice and soft, and just…" I clench my hand into a fist, "do like this to it? Squish it into a nice, pulpy mess? Eh? Let your imagination run wild for a bit there, hot shot."

He looks genuinely horrified, but tries to keep his courage about him. "Y-You try anything funny, and I **swear** you'll regret it!" He boasts, shaking the gun in my face.

I continue the charade. "Oh, it ain't a matter of tryin' or not tryin'. It's like a motor reflex; it just can't be helped." I say with a shrug. "Ah, and then there's the matter a' the teeth…"

"Okay! Okay! Shit, forget it!" Larson yells, and lowers his weapon. "You're not anything like I…" He trails off into mumbles.

"Like you…?" I taunt.

Before he can say anything, a voice rings out through the speaking tubes. "Ship on the horizon!" It's the voice of the lookout. "1 o'clock, heading away from us! Methinks we can overbear them and steal the wind from their sails!"

"Damn it! Don't think this is over, princess." Larson sneers as he swings open the door and slams it on his way out. I almost want to burst out into laughter at him for falling for it like a chump, but the captain'd have a fit if I'm not present immediately, so I make haste in putting my disguise back on and heading up above deck.

"Aki!" The captain spits. "Where the devil ye been? This ain't the time for lollygaggin'! Swim out to their ship and be at the ready! If ye hear cannons firin', smash the bottom o' their hull!"

"Aye aye, sir!" I say with all the punctuation of a Marine recruit. I throw my hat to the deck, leap into the water, and dart through the waves out towards the other ship.

When I'm about three quarters of the way there however, I come upon something I had not expected at all to see: a fishman, swimming in the opposite direction, coming my way. At first I think he's just a large fish, but as we come closer, his shape becomes more humanoid, and then I spot a face. I immediately ready myself for a fight, but then a voice travels through the water. "Oi, you there!" _Is that his? _"You with that ship's crew?"_ How do I respond?_ The fishman swims close enough that I can make out what he looks like. He has many arms, eight or so if I had to guess, and his skin is the same color as mine, a pinkish lavender hue. He actually has hair, unlike me – a dirty brown color, tied back behind his head. Across his eyes is a black mask, not unlike something you might see on the stereotypical image of thief.

I shrug my shoulders at him. "Eh?" he says. "Can you not hear me?" I mouth out that I can, but he doesn't seem to get it, so I point upwards towards the water's surface, and swim towards it. I surface, and he comes up a second later. "What's the matter man, could you not hear me down there?" He says a second time.

"No, I could hear you just fine! How'd you do that, though? Talk underwater? I ain't able to do that."

"Seriously?" He messes with his hair for a moment. "Well, anyway, you're with the crew of that ship, right?"

"Yeah, you with that one?"

"That I am. My captain wishes to speak with yours. Go tell him quickly that we come to trade, not to fight. Be quick about it too, before this turns ugly." I nod, and take a good look at his ship. It's huge; I thought ours was big, but this one dwarfs it by far. The front sails are black, bearing a Jolly Roger with little pointy animal ears on top of the skull. Adorning the top of the ship's bow is a giant grinning fox's head. Leaving the fishman to return to his own ship, I make haste back to mine. The two vessels are much closer to one another now, and it takes little time to return back.

I leap up onto the deck, startling a few of the crewmates. Captain Kiba is at the helm. "Captain!" I shout. "Talked with a fella from their crew, a fishman. He says-"

The captain interrupts me. "Aye, we got the message too. Stay on guard though, men. Could be a trap. Their firepower be looking far greater than ours. Pull up nice and tight with their ship, so's that they can't fire upon us, but we can pelt them if we like." He then laughs boastingly at his own plan.

We scoot the ship up close with theirs. At this vantage point, we can truly grasp the magnitude of its size. I find myself in awe, as do most of our crew, that something that gigantic stays afloat.

"Fehhh feh feh feh!" A ridiculous laugh bellows from onboard the gargantuan ship. We all strain our necks to look upwards. Looking over the deck's edge is a short, middle-aged, pot-bellied man with absurd hair. "Who among you is captain?" he shouts.

"That be me." Kiba replies. "Captain Kiba o' the Fang Frog pirates!"

"Excellent! In that case, let me reveal to you my intentions!" The short man says with a strange sort of pride in his voice. "I, Silver Fox Foxy of the Foxy Pirates, hereby challenge you to a Davy Back Fight!"


	12. Chapter 12

**Twelve – Foxy Appears! Trials of the Davy Back Fight!**

Captain Kiba sports his sinister, trademark grin and pulls a flintlock pistol from his coat. "I accept!" he shouts, and fires the pistol up into the air.

I'm in the dark, so I turn to Joey. "What's this Davy Bat Fight about?"

"Davy **Back**. And ye don't know?" Joey says, surprised.

"I'm still a little new to this piratin' business, gimme a break."

"It be an ancient game, played by pirates for centuries." He explains "In it, you bet not gold, but something far more precious."

"What's more precious to a pirate than gold?" I joke. Joey's expression turns deadly serious however.

"Your crew." My eyes widen. _You bet people? _"And if there be nobody the winning captain wants, he can up and take your Jolly Roger."

"Seriously?" I protest, but Captain Kiba interrupts everyone's murmuring.

"Listen up! Per tradition, I gots t' relay the rules o' the Davy Back Fight. First," he begins, "Anything lost durin' a Davy Back Fight can only be retrieved during a Davy Back Fight. Second, selected crew members must immediately swear loyalty t' their opponent's captain. And third, if the Jolly Roger be taken, it can never be raised again." He pauses, and breaks into a grin. "But don't be worryin' too much about that, as there be not a chance we'll lose to these scallywags!" The crew cheers at this. _I wouldn't mind leavin', though. Not one bit._

"So, Mr. Kiba?" the other ship's captain, Foxy, shouts. "How many coins are we playing for? One, two, or three?"

Captain Kiba grins. "Why so little? A real pirate bets big! We be playin' for four, ye split-headed pig!

Foxy's face turns stunned, and he drops to his knees. "S-Split-headed?" He gasps, his spirit broken.

"Boss, it's okay! Don't listen to him!" I hear a womanly voice console.

Foxy stands back up, clears his throat and then laughs his ridiculous laugh. "Excellent! Four it is then!" He takes four Berries from his pocket and tosses them into the ocean. "Davy Jones acknowledges the challenge!"

I turn to Joey again. "So what do we do? Is it a brawl?"

"Nay. We be playing games," Joey explains, "one for each coin. The captains pick the crewmates to be participating in each game beforehand, and the captain who issues the challenge chooses the games to be played."

I turn to Captain Kiba. He looks busy in thought. _Most likely plannin' the teams. So it's all up to the enemy captain whether or not I'll leave the crew? _I contemplate how I might make myself more presentable as a choice should we lose, as leaving the Fang Frogs sounds like a better idea every second I think about it. For a moment I flirt with the idea of removing my disguise, thinking perhaps a fishwoman would be a more desirable spoil than her male counterpart. I throw the idea aside, however. _Any woman who's a 'prize' don't got a pleasant future in store for her._

Captain Kiba announces he's decided the teams. "Aki! Ye be in the first and third games." He tells me. _I'm surprised he didn't put me in every one just to work me harder._ Foxy has decided his players also, as well as the games to be played. The first one will take place on their ship, since ours does not have enough room. They toss down some rope ladders for the participants as well as anyone who wants to watch to use.

When I climb aboard the deck of Foxy's ship, I'm stunned. _It's so spacious up here!_ _They make this ship for giants or somethin'?_ The deck is multi-leveled, with the lowest tier being the largest. Foxy has quite a large crew as well. Hundreds of men and women have come out to watch the Davy Back Fight, all of them wearing the same silly mask the fishman had on. I then notice that Foxy's ship is perfectly constructed for large games – the bottom tier can be a playing field, while the upper levels serve as a sort of bleachers for the crowd to watch. _So I'll be in the first game, huh? So much for gettin' to see what all the ruckus is about beforehand. Maybe I oughta lose on purpose? ...Second thought, no. I'd regret it if I ended up remainin' with the Fang Frogs._

The first match is a game of dodgeball. A square playing field is drawn with chalk, which the participants are not allowed to leave. A line is drawn, splitting the square in half. Both teams contain a dozen members, who are to stay within their half of the square. Leaving results in immediate removal from the game, as does getting hit with a ball. "The face is safe however." The judge, who is coincidentally a member of Foxy's crew, remarks. _That's silly. Probably just pirates wantin' to see people's faces get smashed in._ "Catching the ball is also safe, obviously." The judge adds in. "Also, no weapons are allowed." _Still, This oughta be a cakewalk._

I and the other twenty-three participants take our places on the field. I look among the eleven others with me. _I stand out. I bet I'll be singled out 'cause of that. _The Foxy Pirates' team is rather jumbled: big guys, small guys, a couple girls, and that fishman I encountered earlier. One ball is tossed at each side and the first game of the Davy Back Fight begins.

One of the Foxy team's larger guys catches the ball and in one fluid movement, throws the ball at the guy who caught ours. Not thinking fast enough, the ball flies into his gut and sends him to the ground. _It wasn't _that _powerful a throw… how heavy are those balls?_ I pick up the ball our side originally caught, and there's no weight to it at all, but perhaps to a human they are rather heavy. "Hey! These heavy to you?" I ask the one who picked up the second ball.

"A piece, yeah. What, they ain't to ye?"

"Light as a feather." I respond, giving mine a small toss into the air and catching it with the other hand. "Hey, toss it with me on the count of three, alright?" The members of the other team brace themselves. "One… two… three!" My teammate tosses his, and it is dodged, but I wait just a second after I say three, then toss mine, and manage to get someone who fell for my bluff. The second ball bounces out of bounds. One of my crewmembers picks it up and tosses it to our side. I catch it with a pair of tentacles, high up in the air.

"Oi!" one of the Foxy Pirates exclaims. "Judge! Ain't he out for that?" The judge, a wrinkly old man, rubs his stubble for a moment before responding. "Rule 495 states for octopus and squid-type fishmen, catching with tentacles is safe as well." _Hm. And here I was afeared he'd be biased._

"Heh, I thought you were a squid-type, too." The fishman says. "This oughta be an interesting fight." _He's gonna be a difficult one to down, having so many arms._ I throw the ball at him, using a whip-like motion of the tentacle to give it tremendous speed, but still the fishman catches it easily.

The game of dodgeball rages on, both sides on equal footing the entire time, until only the fishman and I are left. We take a moment once we're alone in the game to stare each other down. "You can't beat me, you know! I can cover my entire body so there's nowhere to hit that'll get me out!" He taunts.

"You ain't the only one who's so special." I taunt back, and move my tentacles into a defensive formation. The fight resumes, the two of us throwing the dodgeballs back and forth with incredible swiftness, never giving the other a chance to breathe. _The only way I'm going to win this is with speed, and he knows the same goes for him. We gotta get the game goin' so fast one of us messes up._ The pace of the game quickens even more, until we're practically throwing punches at each other from across the field.

"This is getting nowhere, Boss." I hear a woman's voice comment. "Can't you do something to finish this?"

Foxy laughs, slowly and menacingly. "Of course I can. I was just thinking the same thing." I see him give the fishman a signal of some sort. The fishman stops, so that he now has both dodge balls. Then, he does something odd – he tosses the balls out of bounds to some of his crewmates watching the game from outside. _What's he up to?_

"Not sure if this'll work on him, boss, but here goes." Slowly, he drops all of his arms towards the ground. When they reach the floorboards of the deck, to my surprise, they begin to extend! They creep and slither along the floorboards like a mass of worms. _I see it! He's usin' my own game against me; he's fixin' to constrict me!_ When his arms near me, they raise into the air like snakes, ready to strike. _Ain't gonna happen!_ I lash out at each of them with a tentacle, until all are tightly held.

"Not like you planned, huh? My tentacles may be tied up, but I still got two arms!" I jeer.

The fishman simply smirks, and directs my attention to the edge of the playing field. I glance at my peripherals to see that every one of Foxy's crewmates has in hand a ball just like the ones being used in the game. "You may be able to catch the two legal ones, but can you do the same with a hundred?"

The dodgeballs pelt me like rain.

"Out!" The judge exclaims. "The Foxy Pirates win the round!" A grand cheer erupts from the majority of the crowd.

"Aki, what the devil's the matter with ye!? Ye just cost me a damned crewmember!" Captain Kiba screams, anger pouring from his mouth.

"Now now, Mr. Kiba!" Foxy says, boastful. "It's not really his fault his he lost. There's not much one can do when faced with such overwhelming numbers!" He laughs, and his crew follows. "Now then, I believe I have a crew member to obtain from you." He pauses, and someone in his crew starts a drum roll to build dramatic tension. "I choose… Dr. Malkov!" _The doctor? He wants the doctor?_ I look around. He's not even here. "Hold on a second, where'd he go?" Foxy asks.

"He went back to the ship." Captain Kiba grumbles.

"Well, someone had better go tell him to pack his things!"

Captain Kiba grins. "Not so fast, fox. We've still four more games to play, remember?"

"Oh? You think you have a chance after seeing what I can do? You've got some gall, Mr. Kiba! Regardless, the rules of the Davy Back Fight dictate that the crew member won must swear allegiance to their new captain immediately. In the impossible chance you actually win a game, you can have him back, of course."

Someone goes to fetch the doctor. When he learns the news, he seems very apathetic about the transfer. "So I'm vith you all now, then? As long as I have an office to vork in, I don't really care." From the way he speaks, I figure he's been on quite a number of crews. One of Foxy's crew hands him a mask like all the rest of the crew wore. Dr. Malkov calls it ridiculous, but obliges and put it on.

The second game in the Davy Back Fight was something they called "Musical Stools". I'd never heard of it before, but it was apparently a pirate's version of a children's game that originated in South Blue. A circle of stools is made, one for each person in the game, minus one. Music is played, during which every participant walks around the circle. When the music stops, everyone scrambles to find a stool to sit in. Whoever is left without a stool is out, and the process repeats until only one team is left. The pirate's version is different in that it allows the players to beat the hell out of each other once the music stops. Once someone's found a stool though, they can't be touched, nor can they get up. I lean up along the deck's railing and watch the game.

His team is decimating ours. The only who puts up a bit of a fight is Larson, but once his teammates' number begins to dwindle, it becomes harder and harder to manage to nab a stool. Eventually he is the only one left, and the Foxy crew simply jumps him the instant the music stops. I won't deny I didn't enjoy watching him get beat up.

"Fehhh feh feh feh!" Foxy laughs. "That's another win under my belt, Mr. Kiba! So then, who shall I pick this time?" He stops for a moment, thinks, then turns to some of his crew members and whispers something to them. _He ain't even figured out who he wants yet?_ They whisper something back, and Foxy turns back towards us. "Right then! I have chosen…" the dramatic pause and drumroll yet again "…the fishman, Aki!"

I gasp. "Me? Y-You want me?" Foxy replies with a nod. It takes every ounce of willpower in me to stay my emotions and not childishly jump for joy. Though he can't see it, I flash a grin at Captain Kiba. He turns his head to the side and growls. _I wonder if he's happy to be rid of me or mad he can't pester me no more._

A beautiful blue-haired woman from Foxy's crew approaches me with a mask in hand. "The mask is the vow of your allegiance, Mr. Fishman." Her voice has all the spunk of a school girl. _She's so cute!_ "Put it on, and you're a member of the Foxy Pirates."

"For you Madam," I say, dazzled, "I will put it on in an instant!" I take the mask from her, looking at it for a second. _It's silly-lookin'... but I ain't one to speak about lookin' silly._ "Be right back, Madam!" I say, and dash to the ship's stern, finding a place where no one can see me. I rest my goggles around my neck, take off my hat, and slip the mask on. It's actually not that uncomfortable. Putting my hat back on, I return to the field, where the third game is already being set up for, and the rules explained. _Aw, where'd the blue-haired angel go? _It's some sort of traditional board game played with crew members instead of pieces, with the captains moving them around the board. Everyone here seems to know the game it's based off of, but I've never heard of it. _Such is life when you grew up in the country, I guess._ I notice Kiba's team is one person short since I'm missing, and have a quick laugh at that.

"Oi, Aki!" A voice calls to me from the sidelines. I look to see who it is and find the fishman from before waving two of his arms at me. I wave back and walk his way. "Oh, good! That **is **your name!" he exclaims once I've reached him. "Mine's Jube by the way." He shakes my hand enthusiastically.

"You seem… happy to see me." I say, after wrestling out of his grip.

"Well sure! We just hit 500 crew members with that last game, and still only four fishdudes? Having another one around'll be great! Ah, now if only we could score a fishchick, or even a mermaid, I would have no complaints whatsoever!"

I laugh awkwardly. _Ain't even gonna go there. Though a mermaid _**_would_**_ be great. _I've only heard tales of the other people of the sea, the opposite side of the coin from fishfolk. Human above the torso, and fish below. More importantly, I've heard the girls are drop-dead gorgeous. "I'm kinda surprised he picked me at all."

"Probably all strategy. He saw how well you did in the first game and didn't want you making things harder in the third."

_Makes sense. I ain't complainin', though._ "So… did I get drafted into a good crew?"

Jube takes a moment to pretend thinking it over. "Yeah, yeah you did." He scoots in close to me, puts a hand to the side of his mouth and whispers. "The cap'n may be a lying, deceitful, underhanded bastard when it comes to his enemies, but his mateys he treats well."

"That so? Well I ain't sayin' the same for Kiba over there. Grade-A asshole that fella is. Here's hopin' you guys- err… **we** win the rest of the matches then, huh buddy?"

"Hah! You needn't worry 'bout that!" He gives me a comrade pat on the shoulder. It feels weird, being at eye level with someone. And a fishman at that. For a moment, I feel a strange sort of bond forming with Jube. Like perhaps this is someone I can trust. Maybe I can afford to not maintain that healthy distance from him like I do with everyone else. Just as quickly as the feeling appeared however, it vanishes, and he's just another crewmate, albeit a nice one.

"Oi, Aki." Jube says. I notice he's been staring at me for a bit. "Without those goggles covering 'em up… you've got some creepy pretty eyes, you know that?"

"The hell's that s'pposed to mean, boy!?" I yell, and leave a fist in his face.

The match ends. Foxy wins again. He chooses the navigator this time, the dreary, stuttering man who always seemed rather emotionless towards everything. _Hah! If this keeps up, Kiba's gonna be in a sticky situation. No doctor, no navigator… no fishwoman punchin' bag… I wonder who's next? The shipwright maybe? Did we even have a shipwright? You can keep Larson, though._

"What's he like?" Jube asks.

"Emotionless little freak." I tell him.

"Ah… oh well. I'm in the next game, so I'll talk with you later. Don't let me forget to introduce you to the other two, alright?"

"I thought you said there was five altogether?"

"Well… yeah… one's kind of... slow in the head. Spends most of his time asleep anyway." Jube then walks towards the edge of the deck.

The final match is some kind of naval race, which explains why Jube was chosen to be a participant. I mosey on over to the edge of the deck to watch. Far below, in the waters of the Grand Line, are a number of tiny boats and rafts, three for each team, each with a pair of contestants riding them. I listen to the announcer detail the rules of this game, and it's interestingly simple compared to the other three. It's a race of five laps around both captains' ships. The only rule is that neither ship can be damaged; if someone so much as chips a splinter off either, they are disqualified.

The edges all around Foxy's ship become packed with pirates from both crews coming to watch. A number of pirates crowd around me, but all it takes is a little wiggle of the tentacles and they back off a bit. I look over the boats racing. _They make these just now? Some of them look… incredibly bad, especially the ones on Kiba's side._ Jube is helping to propel a boat of average make. One however, is of excellent quality. And riding atop it is none of than the blue-haired beauty who gave me my mask! "Hey!" I shout, but quickly realize I don't know her name. I turn to the nearest masked pirate, grab him with a tentacle and bring him in close to me. "You there! Who's the girl on the yellow boat?"

The man looks a little frightened, so I let go of him. "Y-You mean Porche? She's-"

I've already stopped listening. "Madam Porche!" I shout. "I'm rootin' for you a hundred and ten percent!"

"Ah, my adoring fans!" She smiles. "Don't worry! There's no way your lovely Porche will lose!"

"Contestants ready?" The voice of the announcer echoes throughout the ship. "On your marks, get set, go!"

Porche's and Jube's pair both have a fishman in them, so it's no surprise that they fly on ahead while the others lag behind. Foxy's third boat is the largest in the bunch, and its occupants seem to be focused entirely on disabling all of Kiba's contestants. They manage to down one, but Larson is on another, and he takes them out in response. Kiba's third boat was able to get away from the melee and begin the race proper, though dreadfully behind Foxy's other, fishman-propelled pairs. _Was that Joey I saw in there?_ The boat's already past what I can view, so I wait until it comes back around Foxy's ship to get a better look at it.

Except it never comes. Word comes from the announcer that Jube and his partner stopped to wait in ambush, and that Kiba was now down to only one boat. I can tell Larson's trying his hardest, but there's just no hope left. _The Foxy Pirates must do these games regularly, 'cause they got everythin' entirely under control. In fact, I bet that's why they got such a large crew._

"And the winner is… Porche and Capote!" The crowd bursts into cheer, me included. Porche stands up in her boat and soaks up the applause like a sponge. Kiba's crew looks devastated. _Shouldn'ta been so greedy and just stuck with three. But what do I care? I never gotta see that bastard again!_

Foxy laughs at this victory, and I begin to wonder if he laughs like that silly on purpose, or if he really can't help it.

"Who're you going to pick this time, Boss?" Porche shouts from down below, on her boat.

Foxy's grin turns truly malicious, and I almost think **that** may have been what he chose to steal from our captain. "Why, I choose none other than Captain Kiba himself!"


	13. Chapter 13

**Thirteen – More than Just a Game? Larson's Conviction!**

Everyone that was or still is a member of the Fang Frog Pirates is in shock. "He wants the captain!?" someone gasps. "What are we supposed to do now?" Another exclaims.

I turn to a masked pirate. "Can he do that? Take the captain? I thought captains was tied to their ships."

"Normally they are." He says, a proud look on his face. "But a Davy Back Fight goes beyond the normal rules, it being a sacred thing of piracy an' all."

_Damn, Kiba, followin' me still?_ I look across the deck to my old captain, who looks none too pleased.

Foxy laughs. "Now then, a mask for the _ex_-captain here!" A large, monkey-like man from Foxy's crew holds out a black cloth mask similar to the ones I, and just about everyone around me, am wearing.

Kiba curses under his breath. "I'll get ye for this, I swear it." He snatches the mask, and ties it around his face. _I expected a bit more resistance than that. _Foxy laughs again. "Well now, four coins, four games, I believe that's it for-"

"Hold it!" a voice shouts. Everyone looks out to see who shouted, and finds Larson, standing tall on the boat he used in the race, defiant, yet also desperate.

"Larson, what are you doing?" exclaims a Fang Frog pirate. "You can't go against the rules of the Davy Back Fight!"

"I'm not!" Larson looks back up. "Foxy! As the new captain of the Fang Frog Pirates, I challenge you to a Davy Back Fight of one coin!

Foxy squints his eyes. "Oh? You've some guts in you." He pulls out his pistol and raises it high above his head. "Very well, then. I accept!" Larson and Foxy fire into the air. "What game shall we be playing then? You issued the challenge, it's your decision."

"No game." Larson shouts. "Only a captain's duel, onboard my ship." I notice Kiba's eyebrow twitch ever so slightly upon the word 'my'.

"You must dearly want your captain back. If I had known you were so loyal I might have picked you earlier." _Please don't say somethin' like that, Mr. New Captain._ _Although… as much as I have to admit it, that was a smart move on Larson's part. I get the feelin' Foxy ain't much of a fighter himself._ "Not that it matters now." Says Foxy. "I already know my choice for this game's win."

"We'll see who's laughing at the end of this 'game', Foxy." Larson growls. The two captains are both given 15 minutes to prepare for the duel, and both crews are abuzz with chatter.

"Aki." A voice calls. I turn around to see Kiba standing behind me.

I am about to respond with a begrudging "Aye, Captain?" but happily remember we're I'm no longer his subordinate. "The hell do you want?" I respond, half shrugging him off.

Kiba laughs. "I be curious. Who ye be hopin' t' win this duel?"

_What's this all about? Tryin' to be friendly now that we're on equal terms?_ I decide to speak my mind. "Larson, I reckon. If he wins, I never gotta look at your ugly mug again."

Kiba growls under his breath. "Ye've quite a tongue once yer leash is off, Aki." His growl turns into a grin. "But ye're right, though not in the way ye think."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" I say.

"I'm for certain Larson'll win this match, but I highly doubt he'll be choosin' me as his spoils. Nay, I wager he'll be pickin' you."

"Why would he pick me? What, 'cause he wants to stay captain?"

"Nay. I know Larson far better than ye do. When he was a lad, his parents and all his hometown were killed by fishman pirates." My eyes widen. "He's had a vendetta against yer kind ever since."

I look down, over the deck's railing and into the sea. "That so...?"

"What's that?" Says Kiba.

"Nothin', forget it." _Is that why he…? It couldn't be… right?  
_

Kiba clears his throat. "Whatever. I'm sure he'll pick ye as his prize. He'd love nothin' more than t' have a fishman at his every order, the perfect object for his revenge."

"That's all assumin' he wins in the first place." I note.

"Oh? Ye think the pot belly has a chance?"

"That 'pot belly' **is** our captain right now…" I mumble.

Kiba ignores me. "Didn't you know? Larson's a Devil's Fruit user. And it's a mighty powerful Fruit he ate." Kiba walks away, his taunt given. I think the matter over. _If what Kiba says is true, I could be in for a heap of trouble._

A cheer arises. Foxy has exited onto the deck, ready to fight. His coat and shirt have been removed; he wears only his shoes, pants, suspenders, and a pair of boxing gloves. I think he looks comical, but I keep my mouth shut about it. _Is he serious, though? Does he think he can whoop Larson just like that? If Larson's a Devil's Fruit user, I get the feelin' this ain't gonna last that long…_

Foxy slides down a rope onto the Fang Frogs' ship, where Larson has been awaiting him. "Took you long enough, you squash." Larson says.

A look of despair appears on Foxy's face, and he drops to his knees. "A… a squash?" He gasps.

"Boss, don't listen to him!" I hear Porche console from somewhere in the crowd. There's no hope for any personal space this time; these pirates aren't about to miss a captain's duel. So much of Foxy's gigantic crew poured over to the edge of the deck to watch this fight that his ship is leaning over to one side a bit.

Foxy gets back up. "I assume you know the rules for a captain's duel in a Davy Back Fight?"

"First one to leave the fighting area or die loses." Says Larson. "The fighting area is this ship. Simple as that. Shall we get this over with already?"

The announcer from the previous games shouts over a voice amplifying Den Den Mushi. "Challenger Larson looks ready to fight! Defender Foxy?"

"Ready as ever!"

"Very well!" The announcer exclaims. "Let the duel begin!"

Larson begins to run straight towards Foxy. _You ain't firin' at him? I thought you was the gunner!_

Foxy grins, and puts up a fist in response. However, before he can do anything in defense, Larson disappears, and immediately reappears directly in front of the fat captain, with a fist crashing into the side of his face. Foxy's crew gasps, and the Fang Frogs cheer. "What just happened?" Someone exclaims. _That must be his Devil's Fruit ability Kiba was talkin' about. But what the hell'd he just do?_ Foxy is stunned for a moment from the punch. _It musta been mighty powerful._ Larson does not take the chance to throw another punch. Instead, he begins to run in the opposite direction. But only three or four steps after he begins his sprint, he becomes a quick blur, then disappears again. Everyone is left in an anxious silence for a second, until Larson reappears again, this time behind Foxy, where he delivers a powerful clothesline to the back of the his head. Foxy tumbles across the deck and straight through a wooden wall. Larson takes a moment to let the dust clear.

"I see." Comes Foxy's voice in between a pair of coughs. "You ate a Devil's Fruit, didn't you?"

"That's right." Larson laughs. "I ate the Soku Soku Fruit; I'm an acceleration man. The amount at which I can accelerate my body has no limit. It only takes a moment, but once I get going, I'm unstoppable."

Foxy emerges from the hole in the wall, a wide grin on his face. "Unstoppable, you say? That sounds like a challenge!" He sticks his fist out and adopts the same stance he tried to start the match with.

"You're gonna regret saying that!" Larson shouts, and begins another dash at Foxy.

But Foxy only grins. From his boxing glove is emitted a pink beam of light. Larson's acceleration is immediately halted; he reappears in front of Foxy, bathed in the pink light, completely stuck in one spot. Foxy pulls his arm back, then begins to pummel the frozen Larson with rapid fire punches, but Larson does not flinch. After almost a half a minute of beating the hell out of the guy, Foxy backs off and waits. Without warning, Larson begins to move again, violently flying through the air towards the edge of the boat. He manages to hang on to the ledge with one hand. Foxy chuckles, wipes a trickle of blood from the side of his mouth, and walks over to where Larson is dangling over the sea. "What was that about unstoppable?" he taunts.

"Oi," I nudge a guy next to me, "that's a Devil's Fruit power too, ain't it? What'd he do?"

"Huh?" the pirate stutters. "Oh, you're that new guy, aren't you? Yeah, the captain ate the Noro Noro Fruit. He can shoot out these beams of light that freeze anything they come into contact with for thirty seconds. Then, after that, it's like everything catches up with it. That Larson guy just felt fifty punches in an instant. It's no wonder he's about to lose."

I look back towards the duel. Foxy is standing over Larson, who's desperately trying to pull himself back on board. "Fehhh feh feh feh!" he laughs. "You've a long ways to go before you can call yourself a captain of anything, my boy! Never ever underestimate your opponent! Always have a countermeasure ready! Luckily for me, I didn't have to think too hard about you, as my powers are the perfect antidote against yours! Now then, what say we end this, hm?" He stomps down on Larson's hand, and a loud splash is heard afterwards.

"The winner is Silver Fox Foxy!" the announcer exclaims, and a loud cheer emanates from the giant ship.

Foxy raises his boxing gloves into the air in victory. "As if there was any doubt!" he shouts. "And as for the Fang Frogs, I've a special surprise in store for you, but you ought to retrieve your captain first before he drowns." Several pirates leap off the ship into the water to save Larson.

I breathe a sigh of relief. _So much for worryin' about goin' back. Although, this does mean I'm stuck with Kiba for even longer. Well, he ain't the captain, and this ship is huge. I can just avoid him. He'll probably do the same thing with me. _

Larson is retrieved from the ocean, coughing up sea water. The thought of drowning pops into my head and horrifies me for a moment. "So," Larson growls with a throat still peppered with seawater, "who'll be this time, fatass?"

Foxy is struck. His eyes widen and he falls to his knees. "F-F-Fat!? Am I…?"

"You're not fat!" shouts Porche. "You're just well-gifted in the belly!"

The captain stands back up with a proud look on his face. "That's right! Well-gifted!" _Just how easily swayed _**_is _**_he__?_ "And about to be gifted with yet another spoil of the Davy Back Fight!"

"I imagine you'll be taking me, right?" Larson grumbles.

"Incorrect!" Foxy shouts. Everyone is shocked. "I have no use for **another **Devil's Fruit user aboard my ship, and especially one so rude! No, I'm taking something far more precious than any one person! I'm taking none other than your Jolly Roger itself!" Everyone from the Fang Frog crew is crushed. Foxy laughs. "From this day forward, the Fang Frog Pirates are no more!"

So ends that Davy Back Fight. No longer having an emblem to sail under, no one can challenge Foxy to another Fight. Though, after losing five matches, I'm not sure if anyone would have to courage to, and that's even assuming Foxy would even accept. The sails are taken down from the Fang Frogs' ship, and their crewmembers are coerced back to their ship. Many wanted to stay, offering to join the Foxy crew, but Foxy declined them all, saying he gained hands only through Davy Back Fights, no other way.

"So where do you reckon they're off to?" I ask Jube, after spotting him once we left the pirates formerly known as the Fang Frogs. The ship I, for the past several months was forced to call home, is drifting off into the horizon.

"Who knows? Not my business. Not yours anymore, either." Jube responds. "What, you don't miss them, do you?"

"Nah."

"No one you were friends with there? Lots of mateys we round up from other crews miss their old nakama. Nothing out of the ordinary to admit there."

I reach into my hat and scratch my forehead, slightly annoyed. "I told you there ain't. Even if there was," I add, "knowin' how and when to let go is what makes you strong."

"My, my. Aren't we cool?" He jeers. I give him a playful punch in the shoulder. "Ow, that actually hurt!" _My own strength betrays me again._ "Maybe I **won't** show you to the crew's quarters." I sigh and give a shameless apology. He laughs, and we head down into the ship for a rest.


	14. Chapter 14

**Fourteen – Seizing Destiny! Long Ring Long Land!**

The Foxy crew is a rather odd gathering of pirates. People of all size, shape, and species make up the crew, and it is so large and so diverse that separate little communities have been formed. Kiba took little time in forming his own coalition among the crew members. I smelled a possible mutiny arising out of it, but he seems to be honoring the agreement of the Davy Back Fight. _Or bidin' his time._ Due to my nature, I am quickly drafted into the small group of fishfolk by Jube. I normally don't associate with my own kind, for multiple reasons, but these guys seem alright.

The other two are my age or younger. One I recognize as the fishman who was paired off with Porche in the boat race. He's a swordfish-type by the name of Capote, and I find he's quick to anger, but rarely does anything about it other than pout and grumble. The other is a shorter guy in his late teens. I'm not sure what type he is, and he doesn't say. He doesn't say much of anything, really. _The broodin', quiet type, huh? _"So you're a squid, too?" Capote says when we meet. "At least you've got a backbone, unlike a certain someone." He points his eyes at Jube.

"And what's wrong with being an invertebrate!?" Jube shouts.

"It's creepy, that's what!" Capote growls. The argument ends there. _I get the feelin' that's how most of theirs end._

"So how'd you get into pirating, Aki?" Jube asks, changing the subject.

"Forced." I answer plainly.

"Gah. Yeah, same." Says Jube. "These assholes don't believe me," he points three thumbs at the others, "but my first captain was Vander Decken himself!"

"Yeah, and I've got One Piece in my backpocket." Capote sighs, like he's heard all of this a thousand times.

"I swear it's true, okay!? Aki, you believe me, don'tcha?"

"I… guess so? I never heard the name before."

"Serious?" Capote says. "Vander Decken's an old folk tale among fishfolk. Everyone from Ryugu's heard it."

"Well, I ain't from there." I grumble.

The two exchange glances for a moment. "Ohhh, I see." Jube says, like he's come to a realization. What that realization could be I haven't the foggiest. "Well, regardless, he's not just a folk tale. He's a flesh-and-blood fishman. About eight years ago I was about to get boiled alive in an undersea volcano (long story) and they saved my life, so I was kinda indebted to 'em. I probably coulda gone back home eventually if I wanted to, but I grew to like this pirating gig, so I hopped around crews and eventually found my way here. Ah, but man – the days sailing with ol' Decken were the best! The guy's a total nut – he's got the hots for some girl locked away in a tower, so every day he throws axes and shit at her to show 'his love'. I mean, really? What kinda love is that?"

"He just… throws them? At a tower?" I ask, not sure I understand.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you; he's got a Devil's Fruit power. Lets him 'mark' people, one for each hand, and after that, he can throw anything he wants and it'll travel to that person, no matter how far. He could be across the world and it'd find you; it'd just keep on going till it gets you. Scary shit, huh?"

It is, but that's not what strikes me the oddest. "A Devil's Fruit power? I thought you said he was a fishman?"

"Yeah, so? Fishfolk can eat them, too."

"Sure, but that's… that's stupid! What's a fishman that can't swim no more? Or breathe water?"

Jube shrugs. "Eh, I don't really see the probl-" He trails off to silence mid-sentence, thinking for a second. "Oh. Right. Okay. I see. Sorry, Aki."

_'Sorry'? The hell's he sorry for now?_ Giving up on the conversation, I leave them to return above deck to get some fresh air.

* * *

The next few days are spent on the open seas. Where we're heading to I haven't a clue. While hopelessly flirting with some of the girls on board, I overhear one of them mention an island city called Water Seven nearby. _A proper city? That'd be nice. I might be able to get me some information on Monkey's whereabouts._ However, they're just as unsure as the majority of the crew in regards to our next destination.

As I'm taking a quick nap in a hammock hanging up in the crew quarters, a man comes down and tells us we've come into view of an island called Long Ring Long Land. _Why in the hell would you give an island a stupid name like that?_ "And if I know the cap'n," He continues, "that means one a' two things: either a Davy Back Fight, or just a regular ol' fight. Look alive just in case, mateys." I care little for the announcement, though he does mention there was a pirate ship spotted anchored by the shore. _I reckon I better at least take a look. _I yawn, rub my eyes and stretch my limbs, then wobble out of the hammock and make my way above deck. By the time it takes me to get through this massive ship we've already reached the island itself. The two giant claw-like anchors at the ship's bow are latched onto the shore, locking us in place, and there's already a crowd gathered around them. I approach, and ask someone where the captain is.

"He's already gone off to challenge the other crew's captain." Just then, we hear two gunshots in the distance, and the crew cheers, the sound of another Davy Back Fight confirmed. _I wonder if I'll be chosen for any of the games_. The other day, Captain Foxy came up to me and asked me how fast of a swimmer I was. I told him the truth, which was faster than any human, but certainly not as fast as the other fishfolk on board. I told him I'm more a brawler than a racer. He said he'd keep that in mind.

The crowd has dispersed a bit, so I worm my way through them to get a look at our opponents. Spotting the ship, I really should have expected it, but still I foolishly let myself get surprised yet again when I see a straw-hatted Jolly Roger flying triumphantly from their mast. "You're kiddin' me!" I shout.

"You know these guys?" someone asks.

"Y-yeah, kinda. I ran into 'em a few times you might say." _But wait… if the Straw Hats are our opponents, then this'll work out perfectly for me! If I join their crew, then Monkey won't have nowhere to hide! And I'll have every chance to finally call him out! _I immediately set my mind to find a way to make this happen, the gears already turning inside my head, brainstorming a way for me to be transferred over to the Straw Hat crew.

With amazing speed, the crew sets up stands of all sorts, selling cotton candy, biscuits, meat, rum, all sorts of food and drink. _Just who are they sellin it to? The Straw Hats don't even total ten members last I saw._ They also pull a stage out from below deck and set it up. After they are done, I take a stroll around the area, looking for the Straw Hats. _But first, that yakisoba looks tasty…_ "Ah, sir! Can you put some shrimp in that?"

"The opening ceremony has begun!" The announcer shouts into his Den Den Mushi, his voice amplified so everyone around can hear it. "Everyone, please! Quiet down!"

Eating my yakisoba (without shrimp, sadly), Porche gets up on stage and announces the rules, as tradition dictates, and I find myself drawn in by her alluring voice. Monkey and the Captain Foxy are on stage as well, sitting down in a couple of chairs, Monkey munching on some food, and the captain looking smug as ever. The two captains agree to the rules, and Foxy lets Monkey choose how many coins the game would be.

"We'll do three coins!" Monkey exclaims.

"Excellent!" Shouts Captain Foxy. "A three-coin game under the orthodox rules!" With a mighty throw, he tosses the coins into the sea, informing Davy Jones of the agreement. The two teams gather for a quick decision on the games and the players who will be participating in each. Foxy slates me for the second one. _That oughta be enough for me to enact my plan._

The announcer gets on his Den Den Mushi again. "Both teams have submitted their orders!" He announces. "First, the Straw Hat Team! The first event, the Doughnut Race, has all of the Straw Hats entered!" I glance over at the Straw Hats, who look ready to take on the world. Nami and another woman are standing out in front, Nami with her fists on her hips in a determined pose, and the other woman calm, dignified. I sigh, lovestruck. _They're both so beautiful! So sexy!_ "The second event, the Groggy Ring, will feature Roronoa Zoro, Sanji, and Tony Tony Chopper!" The green-haired swordsman and the swirly eyebrowed cook look none too pleased to be working with each other. _Why have 'em together, then?_ The little reindeer thing, Tony Tony, looks adorably happy to participating. "And the third event shall be a tradition captain's duel!"_ That again, huh? I'll have to warn Monkey about the captain's power. _The announcer then reveals the members of our crew that are to participate in each event, and after that, the games are underway.

The first game, now apparently named 'Doughnut Race', is the same boat race that was played against the Fang Frogs, though the race is now much longer, around all of Long Ring Long Land as opposed to just a ship. Also, the teams have to construct their vessels this time out of nothing but three barrels. While both teams are busy building their boats, I sneak over to the Straw Hats, and find who I'm looking for.

"Madam Nami!" I hail, wonderfully happy to see her again. She freezes, then slowly turns around to face me.

"Y-Y-You! You've got to be kidding me! H… How!? How do you keep doing this?" She yells. I give an embarrassed shrug.

Usopp is with her, and he gasps, overdramatically. "You're that guy from uh… from uh… Jaya! That's right! And Loguetown! How are you still alive?"

"Seriously!" Adds Nami. "We all thought you were dead for sure!"

I flex a bicep. "I'm too tough to die from just that, Madam! But ah… I ain't here to gloat. Nor am I here to pick a fight with your captain, actually."

"Are you a member of their crew now, Mr. Fishman?" comes a woman's voice. I look up to see the tall raven-haired woman walking towards the three of us.

"Sadly, you are correct, Madam. I was a crew member under the Fang Frogs, and was won by Foxy in a Davy Back Fight."

Nami grumbles. "And of course you just happen to come across us… yet again."

"Indeed! It seems fate truly wants us to be together forever, Madam Nami!" I twirl around on one foot, then take her hand in mine to plant a kiss on its back. Before I can however, she grabs my wrist and throws me to the ground. _Tough love._ I sit up and dust off my shoulders. "I thought ya'll woulda recognized my name when it was announced. Don't matter none, though. I wanna strike a deal." Nami and Usopp both give me shifty eyes. "Eek! Ya'll ain't gotta gimme a look like that!" I look around to make sure none of my crewmates are in earshot. "I don't want to be on the Foxy crew just as much as ya'll don't. So my plan is…" I double-check around me "…I lose the second match on purpose, and ya'll choose me as the prize!"

Usopp's expression lights up. "Hey now, that's not a bad idea! It'll give us less to worry about, right?"

Nami isn't so sure. "I don't know…"

Nico smiles, gentleness radiating from her. "Well I think it's a fantastic idea. It certainly should be interesting!"

"I knew you would understand, Madam… ah… I never did get your name, did I?" She smiles, and gives it to me: Nico Robin. "Madam Nico! A lovely name for a lovely woman such as yourself! Will you let Monkey know then?"

"Monkey…?" She replies, confused for a brief moment. "Certainly, I'll tell him."

Happily, I stand up and grasp her hands. "Thank you kindly! You're a gem, Madam!"

She smiles again. "My, from this angle… you have rather pretty eyes, did you know that?"

"The hell's that-" I begin to shout, but stop. "You really think so, Madam? I'm flattered!" The announcer declares that time is almost up for building their boats, so I let them be.

A few minutes later the boats are in the water. Each crew has a number of teams; I spot Porche and Capote as one, same as last time. Jube isn't participating, but Foxy has a number of other racers. The Straw Hats' only chance seems to be the boat Usopp built; Monkey and Sanji are on little more than a raft, and I don't know what the hell Roronoa and Tony Tony have made.

The race starts, but I have little interest in watching it. Only those participating are allowed in the water, so there's nothing I can do to sabotage the race in favor of the Straw Hats. I can only hope they win it, otherwise I'll be second to pick, behind the crew member they lost.

They don't. With them just before the finish line, Captain Foxy blasts Team Nami, Usopp and Nico with a Noro Noro Beam, halting their movement just long enough for Porche and Capote to take the lead and cross the finish line first. _Damn it! Why didn't I tell 'em about his ability?_ I would have done something to stop him, but then it would have been made obvious to him I was attempting to sabotage my own team.

The Straw Hat team looks emotionally decimated, but Captain Foxy gives them no quarter, immediately choosing a crew member as his spoil. "The first one I want is…" he shouts, and a drumroll begins, "…the doctor, Tony Tony Chopper!"

"M-M-Me!?" Tony Tony exclaims, and his eyes well up with tears. "No! I don't wanna!" He protests, but two of Foxy's men grab the little reindeer by his arms and drag him, kicking and screaming. Foxy puts his crew's trademark mask over Tony Tony's face, then hands him to Porche, who immediately begins cooing over how soft and fuzzy he is. Tony Tony cries out for his old crew, who is equally grieving their loss. The overdramatic sentiment has me rolling my eyes. _If he's gone, he's gone. Cryin' and whinin' about it ain't gonna do nothin'._ Roronoa must feel the same way, because while the others are misty-eyed, he shouts above them, telling Tony Tony to shut up and take the loss like a man. _That cute little critter's a man!?_ I gag at the machismo, but have to agree with him, and it seems to get through to Tony Tony well enough, as he dries his tears, sits down, and stalwartly crosses his arms, accepting his fate.

This spells trouble for me, though. Getting Tony Tony back takes priority over my deal. They'll have to win both of the following events for me to have a chance at getting into their crew.

Roronoa and Sanji are already on the field for the next game. Tony Tony was their third, but of course he's on the Foxy crew at the moment, so the Straw Hats are short one player. _Well, I s'ppose that's where I come in. _The game is called the 'Groggy Ring', and it's a simple game to get the other player's ball in their hoop, made not so simple by designating one person from each team to act as the 'ball'. Foxy had had a team already that he'd used for the Groggy Ring in the past, but upon realizing I had more raw strength in me than anyone else on the crew, he switched out Hamburg, his right-hand man alongside Porche, for me. I enter the field with my two teammates behind me. Considering who they are, it's easy to tell why Foxy chose me for my strength. Pickles, teammate number one, is about as big as a guy can get. I'm pretty tall at eight foot seven, but this guy stands a foot above me, and is as wide as he is tall. To be honest I'm not even sure if he **is** human. My second teammate however, is obviously not. Named Big Pan, he is a wotan, a breed of half-giant, half-fishmen. He towers far above the both of us, and he's one to play the role of the ball. It didn't take long for me to notice, when introduced by Foxy while discussing game plans, that he's the one Jube mentioned, the guy that was 'slow in the head'. Pickles and I, as well as the rest of the crew, would routinely ask him complicated things, and then laugh when his brain overloads from too many big words.

"And here they come now, entering the field! In front is a new addition to the team, Mountain Fist Aki!" _'Mountain Fist'? My old dojo's name? That's all they could come up with? I was hopin' for somethin' a bit cooler.._ "Following him is the Tackle Machine, Pickles!" _Okay, it coulda been worse._ "And last, but not least, Big Pan the Wotan! Together they make the Groggy Monsters!" _Oh. Great. I just love bein' called a monster. Thanks a bunch, Cap'n.  
_

"You again, huh, shitty squid?" Says Sanji, the ball marker atop his head. He takes one last drag from a cigarette, then flicks it to the ground and puts it out.

"Yep, ya'll ain't never gonna be rid of me." I would love to totally decimate that asshole cook, but now is not the time. I glance back to make sure Pickles and Big Pan are out of earshot. "I assume Madam Nico told ya'll the plan?" I ask.

"Yeah, and I don't like getting a win handed to me." Roronoa responds.

"I don't think you got a choice." I say arrogantly. "It's not like ya'll'd have a chance otherwise. If you ain't noticed, our ball's a sixty-foot tall monster. I doubt anyone here but me can even lift the guy, let alone get him to the hoop."

I notice a blood vessel in Roronoa's forehead spasm. "Is that a challenge?!" he grins.

"Maybe it is!" I grin back. "You wanna make it one?"

"With pleasure!"

"Oi!" The referee shouts to Roronoa. "No weapons allowed!"

Roronoa grumbles, but hands his three katanas over. "Not like it really matters." He says. "I don't need them to destroy these losers."

We move to our starting positions. "I was wondering what kind of terrible guys we must've been called out for," Pickles says, "and it's these two runts? This'll be cake! Right, Big Pan?"

Big Pan stares blankly into space for a couple seconds, then replies with a simple "Huh?" Pickles laughs, and I let a small chuckle. _He didn't hear a word a' that, did he?_

"Alright, everyone!" the announcer exclaims. "Get ready for some fun, because the Groggy Ring is about to begin! There is no time limit, and the first to score wins!" The referee blows a whistle, and the game begins.


	15. Chapter 15

**Fifteen – Lose to Win! Secret Ambitions Exposed!**

Pickles is immediately on the move. He crouches down low, his shoulder in front in a tackling position, then flies into sprint towards Sanji. "Oh! And Tackling Machine Pickles immediately goes for the ball!" Shouts the announcer. "But what's this? Sanji jumps on top of him, and makes a grand leap up towards Big Pan! Will this be a battle between ballmen?"

Neither I nor Roronoa have taken a step. We're both watching to see what happens with Sanji. _That'd be nice if he could end the game, but there ain't no chance of that happenin'. _Sanji lands on Big Pan's arm, meaning to run up it towards his head, but as soon as his foot touches the wotan's arm, he begins to slip and slide like it's made of ice. "What in the world is this!?" Sanji exclaims.

The announcers blares over the loudspeaker. "Oh! And Sanji can't get a stable footing on Big Pan's arm! Well of course! Big Pan is a loach-type, and they have slippery skin!"

Pickles and I glance towards each other, giving the other a nod. Simultaneously, we make a break for the Straw Hats' side of the field. Roronoa is too preoccupied yelling obscenities at Sanji to notice, until we've already passed him. Big Pan pulls his other arm back, and with powerful force, sends his palm into Sanji, passing him across the field in our direction.

Roronoa sees our plan, and begins to follow. "Damn it, you'd better not let them score, you piece of shit cook!" He yells. The swordsless swordsman is catching up on me. _I never was a good sprinter…_ However, Pickles is right on Roronoa's tail, and crashes into him with a mighty tackle, knocking him far away.

"Oh! Mountain Fist Aki looks ready to complete the pass made by Big Pan!" Shouts the announcer. "Could this be the end of the Straw Hats team already?" Sanji is about to pass overhead. I stop, squat down a bit readying myself for a jump, and propel myself off the ground with my tentacles, high into the air, where a swirly eyebrowed ballman awaits. We collide in midair, and I latch onto him, rendering him unable to move.

"Oi! What is this?" He growls. "I thought you made a deal with Robin to throw the match!"

"Gotta give 'em a show first, right?" I say, and wind up for a throw downward, towards the hoop. I can hear in the stands Foxy's crew cheering me on and Monkey's in dread. Aiming carefully, I throw Sanji downwards, and a second later he crashes headfirst into the ground.

"Aki misses!" The announcer cries. "He had the game in his hands and he misses!" A collective groan emanates from the crowd. Somewhere in there I hear Monkey laughing merrily.

"Aki!" Foxy shouts. "How could you!?"

"It ain't my fault!" I lie, looking as disheartened as I can fake. "He still had some of Big Pan's slippery stuff on him! It gaumed up my throw!"

Sanji gets up slowly, his head rattled from the impact. "Oi, cook!" Roronoa yells. "Get with it already or they're gonna score, dumbass!"

"I don't see you helping with this, you marimo bastard!" Sanji yells back. Completely ignoring us, the two butt heads, screaming and cursing at each other. _Looks like they hate each other even more than they do me._

"What's this?" Comes the voice of the announcer. "The Straw Hat duo seems to be fighting with each other! They don't seem to notice the enemy at all!" He's right. Big Pan is running across the field towards the two of him. With one of his gargantuan feet, he tries to stomp down on Sanji and Roronoa, but the two see him just in time to dodge. For a moment, they look as though they will fight back, but from the bottom of Big Pan's boots are numerous lethal, foot-long spikes, and the two notice them just before getting impaled on them.

"Oi, ref!" I hear Nami shout. "Isn't that against the rules?" The referee however, being one of Foxy's crewmen, 'conveniently' happens to be turned the other way, not noticing that Pickles too, has brandished a pair of spiked shoulderpads. I knew this was coming, and 'conveniently' forgot to bring the pair of clawed iron knuckles Foxy requested I keep hidden on me.

Having gained some distance from Big Pan, Sanji and Roronoa turn around and try to return to the offensive. They dash towards the massive wotan, most likely to attack spots where his skin isn't bare and they can actually land a hit, but Big Pan goes into a strange position. He curls himself up, grabbing his feet with his hands and forming a ring with his body. Sanji and Roronoa both get caught inside the ring, and because of Big Pan's slippery skin, are sent sliding around and around, unable to break out of the loop.

While I'm watching the two, helpless to find a way to sabotage them, Pickles sneaks up behind me and lifts me up. "Get ready! He's about to let them loose, and then it's your turn!" _Right. We planned this move, but I gotta mess it up somehow. Maybe I can send 'em into Big Pan, knocking him into his hoop? That might work. _Pickles spins around and then heaves me high into the air, while at the same time Big Pan sends the pair up into the sky as well. Sanji flies low, but Roronoa heads my way. I get ready for the punch when, to my surprise, Big Pan has leapt high into the air with us! I land in his giant hand, and before I can react, he throws me down hard towards the ground, directly towards Roronoa. _This ain't what I hoped for! I can't avoid this, can I? _I grab Roronoa, intending to push him down when we hit the ground, making it look like a punch, but as I've got my hands on his shoulder and torso, he does something unexpected. He reaches straight for my face, and jabs me right in the eyes with his fingers. A sharp jolt of pain echoes throughout my head, and reflexively, I crash a fist into his gut as soon as we hit ground, knocking the wind and several splatters of blood out of him.

"GOAL!" Shouts the announcer. _What!?_ I'm clutching my eyes, and can't see a thing. _Did Pickles score a goal while I was…? No way! This is bad! _"And the Groggy Ring has ended, in yet another victory for the Foxy Pirates!" Our crew cheers. _I don't want to see the look on Monkey's crew. They just lost a crewmember for good. And now there ain't no way I can get over there._

"Let's not waste any time!" shouts Captain Foxy. "Time for me to pick my next spoil! And I choose Nico Robin, the archeologist!" _Why would he pick her? I mean... I ain't complainin' the addition of a gorgeous woman on the crew, but what does she have to offer?_ Nico takes the news calmly and professionally, leaving Monkey's crew with a simple "See you later, then." and walking away. _Ah, I wish I could see her with the mask on!_ My head is still throbbing with pain, and when I open my eyes, it's all blurs.

I can make out mixed expressions on the faces of the remaining Straw Hats – Nami and Usopp are worrying, Roronoa looks apathetic, Sanji is in heartbroken tears, but Monkey… Monkey is obviously angry. His brow is low, his teeth are clenched in a growl. _What's up with him? Did he just now realize how much he messed up? _"Oi! Squid-head! What gives?" he yells.

I look his way, my eyes squinted. "You talkin' about me?" I say.

"Yeah I'm talking about you! You lied to us! You said you'd let us win the match!" _That idiot! What is he doin', sayin' that!?_

The Foxy crew bursts into murmur. "What's he talking about?" "Aki was going to throw the game?" "But we won, didn't we?"

"Th-that's… a pretty bold claim, Monkey!" I stutter, sweating bullets. "Got any proof?"

Capote's voice rises above the ranks. "Don't play dumb! I was watching the whole thing, you missed that shot on purpose!"

I can't see him, but I turn in the direction his voice came from. "I told y'all, didn't I? The slip-"

"-did absolutely nothing to you." interrupts Capote. "Other fishmen aren't affected by Big Pan's slime. You made the whole thing up!"

Everyone gasps. _Shit! I didn't know that!_ I look out on my crewmates, and all are giving me the evil eye. _I'm totally screwed over now! It's gonna be the Fang Frogs all over again… the entire crew's going to despise me! I'll be ostracized, trapped! Damn it!_

"I don't care about any of this!" yells Monkey. "It's my turn next, and I'm gonna take everyone one of my nakama back from you!"

"Aren't you forgetting something, Straw Hat?" the captain sneers. "You can only retrieve one crew member per event! Therefore, even in the slim, inconceivable possibility that you win the final round…"

Monkey glares at Captain Foxy from under the rim of his hat. "Just what are you trying to say, split-head?"

The captain drops to his hands and knees. "Split… head? Am I really…?"

Nico finishes the explanation. "What he's saying, Mr. Captain, to put it bluntly, is that even if you win the next event, you can only take back one crewmember." Monkey gasps.

Captain Foxy is revitalized, and stands back up on his feet, laughing. "That's right! You've no hope left! You've lost one of your nakama, and there's nothing you can do about it! Fehhh feh feh feh!"

"Oi, oi! Luffy! We're in trouble here!" Usopp remarks. "How are we gonna get both of them back?"

"No problem!" Monkey responds with determination. "I'll just challenge him to a rematch!"

Captain Foxy turns his hooked nose up at the young straw hatted captain. "A rematch? I don't think so. There's a reason why there isn't a crew stronger than the Foxy Pirates! Unlike you reckless young idiots who keep on fighting until their last breath, we have the brains to know when to stop. Even if you offered a rematch, we wouldn't accept!"

"What!?" Monkey yells. "Coward!"

"Fehhh feh feh feh! The young may call it cowardice, but the experienced call it wisdom! We are the strongest pirate crew simply because we know when to quit! Those who don't, well… why don't you ask your traitorous friend, the fishman, what happened to his old crew, the Fang Frogs, hm?" Captain Foxy points towards me.

I don't want to answer, but I don't have much of a choice but obey the captain at this point. Monkey and what's left of his crew is boring holes into me with their stares, and I can't look them back in the eyes as I speak. "He won a duel against the captain, and took their Jolly Roger."

"So what!?" Monkey growls. "I don't care how many fights it takes, I'm taking back all of my nakama!

"I've got a better idea." Says Nami. I glance up at her to see a woman full of confidence. "How about a deal, Foxy?" Foxy looks at her with skepticism. "How about we raise the stakes to five members for the next match?"

"What's that?" Foxy says.

"The point of the game is to steal crewmembers, right? Well it's all meaningless to us if we can't get both of them back. So if we win this next match, we get both Robin and Chopper. In exchange, if you win, all five of us will join your crew." _Are you serious, Madam? You're willin' to risk the entire crew just to stay together? _Though that would work favorably in my favor if they did join the Foxy crew, it seems terribly childish on Nami's part. The captain was right about one thing. There is wisdom in knowing which battles to fight.

Captain Foxy thinks about it for a minute, then comes to a decision. "You have a deal, Miss Navigator. Except I won't stop at just five. We're raising the stakes to five hundred!" Everyone gasps. "If you win, I'll let you have five hundred from my crew!"

Nami looks confused. "Five hundred? For just us five?"

"Just you five?" Foxy says slowly, enunciating each word. "No, no, no! If we win, we take you five, and the other four hundred and ninety five from your descendants! In other words, you children, and your grandchildren, and your great-grandchildren - all of them will have their lives indebted to me by your wager!"

_Is he serious? Who'd agree to somethin' so stupid?_ "I accept!" exclaims Monkey.

"Luffy!" cries Usopp. "Why would you accept such ridiculous terms!? What if you lose?"

Monkey laughs. "I won't lose, you know that!"

"But what if you do?"

"I won't!"

"BUT WHAT IF YOU DO?" Usopp repeats, yelling in his ear.

"Then don't have kids." Roronoa answers stoically.

"You should listen to your first mate, Monkey D. Luffy." Says the captain. "The Foxy Pirates are undefeated when it comes to Davy Back Fights. Victory against me in the final match is impossible!" He laughs, and leaves the Straw Hats alone.

I follow, but part ways to watch the shipwrights quick at work building bleachers atop which everyone can watch the fight as he and Monkey duel on Foxy's giant ship. Quickly bored by that, I spot Madam Nico and Tony Tony through the blurs, getting a bucket of popcorn from a stand. Hesitantly, I drift over towards them.

"Ah, Mr. Sinagra. How are you?" Nico says casually as I approach, as though nothing had happened.

"It's you!" exclaims Tony Tony, with a spark of anger in his eyes. "You're the one who punched Zoro!"

"About that…" I say, solemnly. "I didn't lie to you, I swear 'pon my honor, Madam! I really did mean to lose the match, but I couldn't stop the other two from winnin'. I… I'm sorry."

Nico smiles. "I had a feeling you meant to. No need to apologize. What's done is done. You can't change the past, no matter how much you wish to."

A great big smile escapes me. "You are absolutely right, Madam Nico!"

We walk a bit towards the stands, the shipwrights already almost having completed their construction. Munching on a piece of popcorn, Tony Tony's face lights up for a moment. "Oh! Even if Luffy loses, everyone will join this crew. We won't have to say goodbye either way!"

"True," says Nico, "But if that happens, Mr. Captain won't be the captain anymore. We'll all just be Boss Foxy's underlings."

Tony Tony thinks for a moment, then looks horrified at the thought. "Hey, Mr. Squid. Is his crew that bad a place?"

I pat him on the top of his pink hat with a tentacle. "I've only been with him for a few days actually, but it ain't too bad to be honest. Certainly ain't as bad as the last crew I was on. Although, I can't say much for my future with 'em now, after what I went and did."

"Well, let's hope Luffy wins then, hm? Says Nico, cheerfully.

Tony Tony doesn't look up. "Robin? He **is** gonna win, right? The seven of us are gonna keep sailing together, aren't we?"

"Let's pray that we will."

That brightens Tony Tony's spirits up. "Sure!" he says, and looks up at me. "Mr. Squid, what about you?"

"Me? What about me?"

"Would you like to come sailing with us as well?"

I can't bring myself to answer him. _Maybe in a better life…_


	16. Chapter 16

**Sixteen – A Duel of Captains! The Monkey and the Fox**

Nico, Tony Tony, and I find seats in the back row. As soon as we do, a dense, dark fog is emitted from the ship's interior, and on it are projected images of both captains' wanted posters. _Monkey's rose to a hundred million? Wonder what he did to get himself that._ Meanwhile, the captain's is only at twenty-four million. _A sizeable sum, but I s'ppose when you mostly target other pirates the World Government don't care as much about catchin' you. _Regardless of greatly being the underdog as far as bounties are concerned, Captain Foxy's crew is still vigorously cheering him on.

"Emerging from the left corner of the fox figurehead," begins the announcer, "a man who declines no challenge!" _That ain't what he said earlier… _"His dueling record is nine hundred and twenty wins, zero losses! Silver Fox Foxy!" The crowd around us cheers. _They sure done put a lot more effort into this Davy Back Fight than the last. _Captain Foxy takes off his cape to reveal the same attire he fought Larson with, suspenders and shorts.

"Where's Straw Hat?" someone yells.

"Did he turn tail and run?" another laughs.

"And emerging from the right corner!" Says the announcer, as Monkey steps onto the figurehead, concealed in a white hooded cloak, Usopp at his side. "Hailing from East Blue, the man with the higher bounty, but the underdog in today's fight, Monkey D. Luffy!" Monkey throws off the cloak to reveal atop his head…

_That afro! That's a serious afro he's sportin'! Monkey ain't foolin' around! _"Luffy! That's so cool!" Tony Tony exclaims. Nico laughs softly and agrees.

"Both fighters are ready to duke it out!" shouts the announcer. "Will Monkey D. Luffy throw the Boss out and steal back his nakama and his pride? Or will Captain Foxy's perfect record steal all of that away from him?"

"Oi oi, not bad!" Says Foxy, sizing up his opponent. "That's the style of a wild man! You're going to make a worthy adversary!"

Everyone except for Monkey and the captain are ordered to vacate the playing field. Then, our seats begin to vibrate as the bleachers are lifted high into the air by powerful hydraulics. _Hot dang, I didn't know we got shipwrights _**_that_**_ good on our crew._ When we stop moving, we can see the entirety of the ship. That doesn't change the fact that it is still a good distance away, and my vision is still messed up from getting jabbed in the eyes, so Monkey is nothing more than an afroed speck. _And here I was hopin' to catch a glimpse of his fightin' style._

"Captains ready?" says the announcer. Both reply yes. "Then, let the duel begin!"

The two specks begin to move, but I can't make much out other than Monkey's afro and pink Noro Noro beams flying through the air.

"What's happening?" I ask Nico and Tony Tony. "I still can't see too well."

"Luffy got hit with a beam!" cries Chopper. "And now he's stuck in the air!" _That ain't good. Despite what you may think, Monkey, I'm still rootin' for you to win here._

"Foxy opens with a barrage of punches!" Shouts the announcer. "And Straw Hat can't do anything to stop it!"

The thirty seconds are up, and Foxy has walked away, leaving Monkey to take all the hits. "That's the same move he used against Larson." I comment.

"Larson?" Says Nico.

"Foxy dueled him in the Davy Back Fight that made me a part of the crew." I explain. Monkey falls off the figurehead towards the ocean, but tosses something up that latches onto the ear of the ship's figurehead, and pulls himself back up before he hits the ocean and would be disqualified. _Was that a grapplin' hook? __I wish I could see! _However, Foxy has run away this time, to somewhere neither his opponent nor we can see. Monkey curses into the air, calling Foxy a coward again, and kicks off one of the figurehead's ears in frustration, then leaps down into the deck's lower tiers. _Wild man, indeed. But now __**he's**__ out a' sight as well._ A moment passes with the entire audience tense and anxious. Then, something explodes! A dark grey pillar of smoke rises from the ship. _T__he hell was that!?  
_

"Robin!" Shouts Nami, from several rows down in the bleachers. "Can you see anything?"

"Nothing but smoke." Nico replies. Then, a series of more explosions, followed by the entire deck of the ship erupting into bright orange fire that mixes in with the black smoke.

"And the Boss skillfully nails Straw Hat with a barrage of bombs! This looks like it could be the end for our young underdog!" The announcer exclaims.

"Robin…" gasps Tony Tony. "You don't think…"

"He'd better not be dead, that Monkey…" I mumble. _If he is…_

The announcer screams. "What's this!? Monkey D. Luffy is alive! Somehow he dodged the bombs at close range, and has made his way to the top of the mast!" I squint, and sure enough spot an afroed figure who leaps off the mast back onto the deck, into the smoke. When the dark cloud clears a minute later, both Monkey and Captain Foxy are gone. A door leading into the ship is open. "Ah! It seems the fight has been taken below deck! Just what could be happening down there? Although we have no idea what's going on, we can be sure that an intense battle is underway inside the ship!"

The fight continues beneath the deck for at least ten minutes. "This sure is taking a lot longer than usual." A pirate nearby remarks.

Tony Tony stands up in his seat. "Luffy won't lose! He'll win us back for sure!"

"Of course. He has the afro after all." Laughs Nico.

"Something is happening on deck!" Exclaims the announcer. "Two silhouettes have emerged… and… it's Captain Foxy who is standing, and beside him is Straw Hat, who has been burnt to a crisp! It appears that he took some heavy punches!"

Tony Tony cries out. "Luffy! No!"

Even Robin looks shocked. "Hold on! Look!" She says. I squint, but I can't make out what's happening. "He's standing up!" _Barely, though._ Even I can see he's having trouble staying on his feet. The captain wastes little time in blasting Monkey with another beam and proceeding to pummel the hell out of him. When the thirty seconds are up, Monkey is sent flying across the ship and into the mast, but still he stumbles to his feet. Barely conscious, it looks like this fight won't last much longer. _I s'ppose that works out for me. If Monkey joins this crew, I ain't gotta worry about chasin' after him, and I can finally challenge him myself. I got a hell of a beef with that kid._

"You little runt! Don't you know when to quit!?" Yells Captain Foxy. "Fine! I'll finish this once and for all! Noro Noro Beam!" To everyone's surprise however, the beam points directly back at the captain, freezing him in place!

"H-How!?" Shouts the announcer. "A mirror…? Straw Hat had a mirror shard in his hand!"

"It was... stuck in my afro." Monkey reveals, almost entirely out of breath. He brings his fist back, then crashes it into Captain Foxy's face. The air is still. Monkey takes the thirty seconds it'll take for Foxy to feel that massive attack to make his way to the figurehead and climb atop it. When at last the time is up, Foxy is sent spiraling high into the air, far out of bounds, and Monkey lets loose a triumphant cheer of victory.

Tony Tony bursts into tears of joy. Nico takes him by the hand and they walk down the bleachers to join their soon-to-be reunited comrades. I decide not to follow them for now, instead watching them from up here. Everyone else in Foxy's crew is stunned. Even the announcer is breathless. "The… the boss has… he's lost! I can't believe it! Undefeated in nine-hundred and twenty battles prior, Silver Fox Foxy has lost! The final round of the Davy Back Fight goes to Monkey D. Luffy!" Someone among the Foxy Pirates remembers that their captain can't swim and needs to be rescued from the ocean, and quickly everyone among them piles to the front of the stands, leaping off to save their beloved boss.

Later, after the hullaballoo has cleared, Foxy is salvaged from the water, and a fainted Monkey is patched up by Tony Tony. I watch them reunite from a distance. _So I guess I'm a part a' his crew now, huh? I... guess that's a good thing, right?_

"Alright, you record-sullying bastard!" Exclaims Foxy. "You know the rules! Pick your five hundred crew members already and let's get this over with!"

Monkey smiles. "Robin and Chopper!" Tony Tony's eyes flood with tears again as he leaps into his old captain's arms. Nico happily takes the mask off her face and hands it to Foxy, then rejoins the Straw Hat crew.

"He's started with the two obvious choices!" Says the announcer. _You really gotta keep doin' that? Ain't your job over by this point?_

"Hurry up and pick the rest!" Someone shouts.

"Alright, then. Gimme your Jolly Roger."

The whole of Foxy's crew looks shocked. "He demands our pride without a second thought?" Exclaims the announcer.

"You can keep the sail itself." Monkey says. "You can't sail without it, right? I'm not gonna leave you guys to die or anything."

"The sail has the symbol on it." Says Foxy. "We don't want your pity, Straw Hat. If you're going to take it, then take it!"

"Fine, then. I'll draw you a new one after this." The Foxy Pirates look relieved, but Usopp is snickering. _Monkey must be a terrible artist._

Monkey looks as though he is done here, but Foxy stops him. I was about to as well. "Hold it! That still leaves four-hundred and ninety-seven to go, Straw Hat! I said I didn't want your pity and I meant it!"

"Pssh. Fine then. You..." He points at the Foxy Pirate all the way to one side of the mass that has gathered, then moves his finger all the way to the announcer, who is standing aside Foxy and Porche. "…to you. How many does that make?"

"M-Me? Uh… well… that makes… let me see…" the announcer does some quick math in his head "four-hundred and ninety-seven exactly! _I got a feelin' I know what he's 'bout to do._

Everyone gasps. Monkey grins. "Well that's that! The New Straw Hat Pirates are born! We can't fit you all on the Going Merry, so…"_  
_

"Don't worry about that, Captain Luffy!" Someone says. "We'll just follow behind in the Sexy Foxy!" _…though that ain't much better._

"Hey, hold it! That's **my** ship!" yells Foxy.

Kiba makes his way to the front of the mob and grins that sinister grin of his I hadn't seen in some time. "Ye think ye three can fight all o' us at once, Fox? I told ye I'd get ye for this humiliation, didn't I?"

The pirates quickly seize the massive ship, leaving Foxy with nothing but a rowboat and two crew members to sail the seas. "Later, ex-boss!" The former Foxy Pirates shout, as the tiny boat drifts off into the sea.

"Alright, then! I'm giving my first order to the New Straw Hat Pirates!" Monkey says, turning to his new crew. "Listen up!"

The crew is psyched up. "You can count on us!" "What're our orders, Boss?"

Monkey grins. "You're all dismissed!"

Everyone goes silent for a moment. "…Dismissed?"

"Yep, dismissed! The captain's word is law, right? You can go back to your old crews, or go rejoin Split-head if you want. Whatever you want, really. Either way, you're dismissed. That's all!"

The mob unanimously agrees on what to do. Wasting not a moment, they hop back in the Sexy Foxy and chase after their old captain. I however, have different plans. Glad to no longer be a pirate, I make my way towards Monkey's ship. I take off the silly mask, and stuff it in my bag. _A souvenir for the road._ I lift the goggles that had been resting around my neck and snap them back into place over my eyes. Then, I just have to wait until they return. _I won't confront him now. He's too injured from his fight. And I'm tuckered out, too. I can wait a bit; he can't run away from me now._ I lean against the mast and stare out at the sky.

By the time the sun is nearing to sink into the western sky, the crew in their entirety return. The anchor is lifted, they say their final goodbyes to their friend on the island, and then, finally, I am noticed.

"Squid-head!" Monkey shouts. "What are you doing on our ship?"

I smirk. "What, d'you think I was going to follow them idiots? After I betrayed 'em in the games? You said we could do whatever we wanted after you dismissed us, remember? Well, I'm followin' you."

Monkey thinks it over for a total of about a half of a second. "Okay, then."

"Just like that!?" Usopp exclaims.

Tony Tony grows a smile on his tiny little face. He runs up to me and tugs on my pant leg. "Mr. Squid! You're going to be our nakama after all?"

"Hey, hey now! I never said nothin' like that! I'm just a passenger for now."

"No way!" shouts Monkey. "If you're coming with us, you're our nakama!"

I grumble. _Is everythin' so simple to this kid?_

"So what can you do?" Asks Usopp. "You aren't a shipwright by any chance, are you? Because we need a-"

"A musician!" Monkey cuts in. "We need a musician really badly!"

Nami smacks him in the back of the head. "That's what **you want**. What we **need** is a shipwright."

"Madam Nami!" I exclaim, and saunter over to her. "If you want me to be a shipwright, then I shall be one! I ain't never built a thing in my life, but for you-"

"Oi, oi!" Sanji exclaims. "Who are you, still being all lovey-dovey with Miss Nami?"

I turn to the swirly-eyebrowed blondie. "Eehh? You're still here? Ain't you got a hole to crawl into and die or somethin'?"

Amused by our antics, Monkey laughs heartily. "This guy's great!" _Well, your opinion shifts quickly, don't it?_

"So you're not a shipwright…" says Usopp, "or a musician. Do you have any special skills?"

"Well, uh..." I think for a moment. "I can sew... but I mean, my trade's in fighting." I state, standing up straight and proud. "I'm a martial artist, studied in the style of the Mountain Fist." I notice Roronoa's eyebrows raise at the mention of the name. The others look unimpressed. _Hmm. I may need to earn my keep on this boat. _"I also happened to notice ya'll got quite a number of Devil's Fruit users on your crew. I reckon someone like myself who ain't hindered by the sea but strengthened by it'd be a right helpful thing to have on the ship, don't you?"

That's enough convincing for them, but I still offer to be lookout for the night, as a measure of good faith that they let me aboard their ship. They cheerfully accept. Atop the mast, looking out onto the pink and orange horizon of sunset, I breath a deep sigh of relief. _No more chasin'. No more runnin'. I got you right where I want you, Monkey. Now it's only a matter of choosin' the right time and the right place._ Unfortunately, I am more tired than I thought, and halfway through the night, I drift off into sleep. A peaceful sleep.

**-End of Volume One-**


	17. Chapter 17

**Volume Two – Settling Scores**

**Seventeen – Where am I? A Strange Ship and Stranger People**

A clamor of voices and footsteps wakes me up. I move to rub the sleep out of my eyes, but I'm wearing… _goggles? Why in the world am I wearin'...? And a bandana over my face at that? And a big, goofy hat? What in the hell__ is goin' on? L_eaning up against a wooden wall, I spot across from me a muscular man with short sea-green hair and three katanas at his side. He is also just waking up from the noise. We notice each other simultaneously.

"Who the hell are you?" He asks. His voice is rough.

"I's about to ask you the same thing." I look around. We're in some sort of large wooden… bucket? _No, that ain't quite right._ There is a pole leading up from the center, and atop the pole is… _A pirate flag! Is this a pirate ship? The crow's nest, maybe? What am I doin' here?_ "Just where am I?"

"You still didn't answer my question." Scowls the green-haired man.

I scoff. "Ain't you s'pposed to give your own name before askin' another for theirs?"

The man's expression lightens. "Roronoa Zoro."

I return the gesture. "Aki Sinagra. But seriously, where am I? You a pirate? This your ship?"

"You mean this isn't **your** ship?" I shake my head no. "Then that means…"

We peer over the edge of the crow's nest. A small number of people are down on the deck. Three guys, one of whom is chasing some small animal about, and two gorgeous women, one calm and dignified, the other nervous and tense. The ship itself is anchored off some island. "…this is **their **ship." I say. "But just how the hell'd we get here? There ain't no way I done got kidnapped."

"Same goes for me." Says Roronoa.

I ponder the situation. _Last thing I remember was fallin' asleep outside Cocoyashi Village. Why am I now aboard a pirate ship? Wait a minute! This ship… maybe they're with Arlong? Did he find me as I was restin'?_ I look up again at the pirate flag fluttering gently in the breeze. _I don't recognize the Jolly Roger… it certainly ain't the Sun Pirates… and I don't see no fishmen down there. There's gotta be a reason for all this – why the two of us're here and don't know why, who these people are, even why I'm wearin' this queer get-up. I'll figure it out!_

"How about coming down? Mr. Swordsman? Mr. Fishman?" A woman's voice from below says.

Discovered, Roronoa and I exchange glances. "Ready for a fight?" He says.

I crack my knuckles. "If they bring one." I smirk. We stand up, and leap off of the crow's mast down onto the deck, our boots making two loud thuds as we land.

One of the supposedly-pirates, an obnoxious skinny man with black curly hair and a long nose, shrieks. "W-Who are you two!?" He stutters. "What are your names?"

Roronoa steals my line. "Aren't you supposed to give your own name before asking another for theirs?" I have to hold back a snicker.

Another one of the men, a young man in a straw hat and red vest, happily answers. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy, the man who's gonna become Pirate King! Nice to meet you!" '_Pirate King'? Is this kid serious? You're too cheery to even be a regular pirate. _I notice his straw hat matches the one on the Jolly Roger. _Or maybe he is... This must be __**his**__ ship._

"Roronoa Zoro."

"The Pirate Hunter?" Another man remarks, a blonde with swirly eyebrows in a fancy black suit smoking a cigarette. Something about the sight of him sends a wave of slight disgust through me.

"I never called myself that. I just take up bounties to make a living, that's all."

"Then I suppose you're after the bounty on the pirates of this ship." Says the blonde-haired man. _Wouldn't that be all ya'll?_

"Are you guys famous pirates or something?" Roronoa asks.

The skinny man perks up. "Th-that's right! I'm known as Captain Usopp the Proud, and if you d-don't leave immediately, I'll send my eight thousand followers after you!"

"Oh?" Sneers Roronoa. "Then it looks like I'll be collecting one hell of a meal ticket."

The skinny man, apparently named Usopp, breaks into a panic. "N-No! Th-That's not what I meant at all!" He turns to one of the others for help, the calm, raven-haired beauty of a woman.

"He doesn't have a bounty of even one Berry on him." She laughs, then turns to me. "You've been awfully quiet, Mr. Fishman. Weren't you going to tell us your name?"

I perk up. "For you Madam, I might even spill my life story! If it weren't a bit depressin', that is." I clear my throat. "My name is…"

"Aki Sinagra, isn't it?" She finishes.

I jump back, startled. "You know me! Have we… met before, Madam? Surely I would never forget a face as gorgeous as yours!"

"Oi, what are you doing, talking so shamelessly to a lady like that?" The blonde man growls.

"Eehh?" I turn to him. "I'll talk however I please, you swirly-eyebrowed bastard. Got a problem with that?" I get a poignant sense of déjà vu for a moment as I butt heads with the man, but it is quickly dispelled, as flying out from the hold of the ship comes the other woman: a perfect-figured, red-haired girl riding a strange boat-like device with no sails, towing a large, full sack behind her. No one can stop her. In a flash she drives it off the ship, and scurries off along the surface of the water, towards the island.

"Whoa!" shouts Monkey. "That looks like fun!" A loud splash is heard on the opposite side of the ship. We all turn around to find Roronoa has jumped ship as well.

"Just what's going on here…?" whimpers the skinny man.

The raven-haired woman throws a glance in his direction. "I haven't a clue. It certainly is a problem, though."

The blonde-haired man steps forward. "Well, we can think about it after we've had some breakfast. By the way Miss," he asks. "I never did catch your name…"

The woman smiles, but her eyes, they seem almost... dead, like the warmth radiating from her demeanor is only temporary, a show. "Nico Robin." She answers with a coy smile.

* * *

We move inside the ship to the kitchen. The blonde-haired man, whose name I learn is Sanji, begins to look around for ingredients to cook up a breakfast, while the rest of us – Usopp, Monkey, Madam Nico, and myself – sit down at a wooden table.

"As I was explaining to the others," Nico begins, turning towards me, "you all seem to have lost memories of your journey at sea as you slept last night. But you, Mr. Fishman, you only joined us yesterday. You must not have forgotten much of anything, right?"

For whatever reason, she doesn't know I'm not a man. _That must be what this here disguise was for. But why would I keep that a secret from 'em? I can't imagine I would care. _"Only yesterday? Then we must be in East Blue, correct?"

"East Blue?" Says Nico. "No, we're in the Grand Line."

Usopp shrieks in fright. "The G-G-Grand Line? But that's a horrible den of monsters! Th-th-there's no way I would ever agree to go there!" _That's what I hear tell about the place as well. If this's the Grand Line though, it don't seem that different from any other sea to me._

Nico assures us that we are in indeed on the Grand Line, and begins to recall what had transpired since she came aboard. According to her, she joined after the Straw Hat crew quelled a rebellion as well as uprooted a crime syndicate in Alabasta, a desert nation. The crew had many other adventures as well. They were blasted up to an ocean in the sky (I don't believe that part), where they defeated a totalitarian ruler by the name of Enel, a fiercely powerful man who fancied himself a god. After their adventure in the sky, they returned down to the Grand Line and found themselves in the middle of a Marine base, which they had to break out of. Their most recent escapade was called the Davy Back Fight, a game where crew members are wagered. Apparently that last incident was only yesterday, and that is how I came aboard the ship, though I haven't a single recollection of it.

The four of us take a moment to let all the information soak in. I'm hoping something from it will force a memory out from my subconscious, but nothing does.

"So, Miss Robin." Says Sanji. "Something must have happened last night to trigger this. What do you think it was?"

"Well…" she replies "…let's include Mr. Doctor in the conversation first, shall we?" The door to outside opens somehow, and hanging on its handle is an adorable little reindeer thing in a pink hat, the animal they were chasing around earlier. _That cute little critter's a man? And a doctor? _Immediately he tries to hide (though he's not very good at it; we can still see him plainly) "Don't you want to be in the conversation?" Nico asks him.

"Shut up, asshole!" he shouts. _He can talk! And he's got a mouth on him! How dare he speak to Madam Nico that way!_

"You want something to eat, little guy?" asks Luffy.

The reindeer thing backs away. "Like hell!" he shouts.

"Please." Says Nico, soothingly. "I'd like to hear the opinion of a doctor as great and talented as yourself."

The reindeer's tone changes, and his growls shifts to an embarrassed smile. "You idiot!" he says. "Flattery won't get you anywhere, you asshole!" Though his words are still harsh, anyone can tell he loves the compliments. _Can't hide his emotions to save his life, huh?_

"So what's your name, little guy?" I ask.

He looks up at me, brow furrowed. "I'm not gonna tell a human that!"

I cock my head to the side. "Me? I ain't human. I'm fishfolk." I say, refraining from using anything gender-specific in reference to myself, just in case there was a really good reason I'm keeping that hidden. "Can't you tell?" He doesn't speak. "Well, don't matter none."

Sanji serves everyone a cup of tea, and Nico begins her recollection of the past day. "It was nearing sunset when we first spotted the island. I remember you had volunteered to be on lookout, but fell asleep rather quickly. We had Mr. Swordsman take over for you. Only a couple hours later, we spotted an island coming up on the horizon. It being late, we decided to cast anchor off the coast and wait until the next day to go ashore. I stayed up to read and Mr. Swordsman kept watch." Nico takes a sip of her tea, then sets it back down in its saucer. "I know that's not much to go on, but that's what I remember."

Usopp rubs his chin in thought. "But why is Robin the only one who kept her memories, then?"

"I reckon it's on account a' she's the only one who was awake." I answer, and take a sip of the tea. It's surprisingly decent.

"What about the Pirate Hunter? Zoro or whatever his name was?" Says Sanji.

"He was conked out, too. We both woke up at the same time."

"That's a logical assumption," says Nico, "but we mustn't jump to conclusions. What was the last thing you all remember?"

"I got back from gathering medicinal herbs with Doctorine." Says the reindeer doctor, still a bit frightened. "I thought I went to sleep in the castle…"

"I was-" Usopp begins but is quickly interrupted by Monkey.

"I was stuck in a barrel, getting sucked in by a giant whirlpool and got really dizzy and passed out or something. When I came to, I was here."

"I finished work for the day at the floating restaurant, Baratie, and went to sleep in my room." Says Sanji. "Same thing, though – when I woke up, I was on this ship."

"And you, Mr. Fishman?" Asks Nico.

I think back. "I was outside Cocoyashi Village, plannin' on how to assault a nearby fortress, but it was late, and I decided I oughta rest for the night before proceeding. Just like the others though, when I woke up I was on this ship, up in the crow's nest. I thought at first that Arlong mighta found me out and captured me." I said with a small laugh.

"Cocoyashi…? Arlong…?" Mutters Nico. "I've heard Ms. Navigator speak those names before." She thinks on it for a brief moment. "Is that all the five of you can remember?"

Suddenly, we all remember simultaneously.

"There was a horn!" exclaims the reindeer doctor. "I remember a low-pitched horn!"

"Yeah, I heard it too." Says Monkey, while munching on a bread roll.

"And not only that," thinks Usopp, "but there was a kid too. I remember seeing a kid's appearing before me, with a horn like a seahorse." I remember all of that as well. But it was like a dream, not like something that actually happened. If they all had the same dream as well though, then it must mean something.

"So then…" Sanji begins "you don't think… our memories weren't lost then, but stolen?"

Robin speaks up. "I can't say for sure, but it certainly sounds like that child could be the key to this mystery. And I don't mean to scare you, but…" she lowered her voice "if any of you fall asleep again tonight, you might forget who you are entirely the next time you wake up."

The kitchen is silent for a while, the only noise the gentle waves outside and the steam from the tea kettle on the stove, until Monkey stands up. "Hey, who cares? It's too bad that we've lost the memories of all our fun adventures up to now, but we can just start having new ones now, together, to make up for them, right?"

_The hell's he sayin'!? _"Are you insane?" exclaims Usopp.

"Seriously!" I add. "You might be happy-go-lucky and not give a hoot about what happens to you, but I got a past I ain't allowed to forget! Don't you too? Don't you got obligations to people you left behind?"

Monkey looks my way, both serious and playful. "Of course I do. But my dream will **never** disappear. No way." He says, with childish yet admirable confidence.

The six of us are unsure of how to proceed from there. I suggest we should go ashore and look for the other two, and possibly answers to our questions, but Madam Nico argues we should wait until we have a firmer grasp on just what is going on. The reindeer doctor, a Devil's Fruit user by the name of Tony Tony Chopper who can transform to different forms between reindeer and human, says he wants to try making some medicines to help restore our memories. Sanji hasn't made up his mind on what to do yet, and Monkey is entirely aloof. Usopp actually has the smartest idea; he suggests we wait until night, staying up, in hopes that the kid who may or may not have stolen our memories returns, and we catch the little bastard.

So we wait, until night falls. Monkey says with the utmost determination that he'll stay awake as long as it takes, but is out like a light only a few hours after the sun has fallen, along with Usopp and Tony Tony.

"Look at these shitty idiots." Sanji mumbles. "I guess I'll make us some coffee to stay up."

"You sure you're gonna make it, Madam?" I ask Nico. "You were up last night as well. You oughta be terribly tuckered out." I slide over her way, sucked in by her natural allure. "If you want to lay your head down for a spell, my lap is always here for a pillow." I spot Sanji in the corner of my eye fuming.

"Thank you, I wouldn't mind that." Says Nico. _She… she actually said she wouldn't mind it! Could this… could this actually be a… a mutual love!?_ _Usually women are put off, whether it's that I'm a woman as well, or because of the tentacles, or… but she… she… she said she wouldn't mind! Wait… maybe __**that's**__ why I'm wearin' this disguise! Maybe my only chance with her is disguised as a man! Maybe-_ "But I'll be fine, Mr. Fishman, you don't need to worry about me." She smiles.

_Shot down! And I was so close!_ I sigh and rub my nose. "As you like, Madam. And please, you don't gotta be so formal. Just call me Aki." In truth, I just don't like being called "man".

Robin looks at me inquisitively for a moment. "How about Mr. Sinagra?"

_Close enough. _I laugh. "Deal." Just as the word flees from my mouth, the ominous low pitch of a horn resonates throughout the air. _Is that…? _All three of us scramble to the door. "He's here!"


	18. Chapter 18

**Eighteen – Visions in the Dark! Seek Out the Thief of Memories**

A small figure stands atop the ram's head figurehead of the ship, cloaked in shadow. "So, you're still awake?" He says maliciously.

"Are you the one who's stolen everyone's memories?" Nico exclaims. The three of us ready ourselves for a fight, but the figure remains still. He moves so that the light of the moon reveals his face, and to our surprise he is nothing more than a child. His hair is a silvery blue, and his expression calm and lax

"An impressive deduction, Miss." He replies. He looks just as I remember in my dream, and in his hand is the same seahorse-shaped horn. "But you're too late. I've already got your friends in my snare."

_Shit! The others!_ I dash inside the cabin, where the other three are asleep, but look to be in pain. Violently, I smack them awake. "Get up! Hurry!" I shout.

The three stumble to their feet, grumbling. "Breakfast time already?" Monkey yawns. Usopp and Tony Tony both notice the boy on the figurehead, and shriek.

"That wasn't very nice, Fishy – waking everyone up." _'Fishy'? _The boy smirks. "I didn't want to have to resort to this, but you've forced my hand." He puts the seahorse-horn to his lips and blows a single note. A dulcet, yet jarring note seeps its way into my ears and shakes my brain. My vision doubles and my brain starts firing off thoughts I didn't tell it to, and I collapse to my knees.

Only now does Monkey totally wake up. Before his mind too is rattled, he spots the boy on top of the figurehead. "Hold it!" He yells. "You can't be up there! I already claimed that spot! That's mine!" Without a thought, and seemingly unfazed by the sound, he jumps onto the railing, then with a mighty leap, springs across the ship's deck. The boy stops playing his horn, and I am able to think properly again. I see the boy take a step back to avoid Monkey's attack, but as the young captain lands on the back of the ram's head, he misjudges his landing, and slips. I'm certain Monkey just lost the fight, as is the boy, but he manages to catch himself with his hands, flipping his body around to bring the heel of his foot down hard onto the boy.

He hits the horn instead. The boy drops it, and cowers away from Monkey, who is glaring fiercely at him.

Just then, a sparkling blue mist escapes from the mouth of the seahorse-horn and floats into the air around Monkey. "What the hell?" he exclaims as the mist envelopes him entirely. He tries to swat it away, but succeeds only in losing his footing on the figurehead and falling down to the deck at our feet. The mist follows him down, spiraling in the air, and then escapes into Monkey's mouth and nostrils, where it disappears.

"What… what just happened?" exclaims Usopp. Monkey looks either unconscious… or worse. "Is he okay? Is he even still alive?"

"Doctor! Someone get a doctor!" cries Tony Tony. "Oh wait… that's me!"

Monkey's finger twitches, and then his whole body returns to life. He sits up, and looks at the five of us, crowded around him.

"Oi, Luffy! You alright?" Sanji asks him.

Monkey bursts into a wide grin. "Better than alright! My memory's back!"

We all gasp. "No way!" I shout. "Prove it!"

It is Nico who responds. "How can he prove it to you if you don't have your memories back as well?"

I almost respond, but she's entirely right. _She's too smart for me, this beauty._

"Well let's get the rest of ours back as well!" Shouts Usopp.

However, the boy is already gone, fled into the night. "Something tells me we haven't seen the last of him." Says Sanji, taking a long drag on his cigarette.

"Right! Right!" Laughs Monkey, who then remembers something. "Ah, but we have to get Nami and Zoro back first!"

"We should wait until morning for that, don't you think, Mr. Captain?" Suggests Nico.

"Eh, why?"

"Landing on an unknown island at night trying to find two people who, might I add, don't wish to be found, is a recipe for disaster."

I nod appreciatively. "She's right you know, Monkey. As much as I would love to have my memories back, we oughta play things safe for the time being and do what the lovely Madam Nico says. Besides, there's a snowball's chance in hell that boy'll be back tonight, and we could use the rest."

Monkey concedes. "Fine. We'll leave first thing in the morning!"

"Hold it." Interrupts Sanji. We all turn to face him. "I don't mind getting that lady back, but I can't say the same about the Pirate Hunter."

"Me neither!" Usopp agrees, eccentrically. "If they want to leave, then let them leave!"

"What are you all talking about!?" Monkey growls.

Sanji flicks his cigarette off into the ocean. "He's the Pirate Hunter. We're pirates. Why would we take someone like that along?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Says Monkey. "Because we're nakama!" That word. That's a word of the seas. These guys are pirates all right. No one uses that word where I come from.

"I don't particularly care either way," I say, "but if someone's gone, then they're gone, and that includes any of us. Ain't no use fussin' over it."

"No way! You're our nakama too! The Straw Hat Pirates never leave anyone behind, and that's that!" proclaims the young captain. "Zoro's the swordsman, Nami's the navigator, Usopp's the sniper, Sanji's the cook, Chopper's the doctor, Robin's the archaeologist, and Squid-head's the I-haven't-decided-what-he-is-yet!"

I twitch at the word. "'Squid-head'!? Can no here one call me by my name? It's Aki! 'Ah-kee'! Two syllables! Ain't hard to say!"

Everyone's already ignored me, heading back into the crew's quarters to get some rest. _Did I seriously join up with a bunch of pirates? Why the hell would I do such a thing? And what about Arlong? Just what happened since my memories stopped and these ones began?_ I lay down in the middle of the deck and stretch out all my limbs.

"Oh? Aren't you going to sleep in the quarters, with the rest of them?" Nico says, upon noticing me while making her way up to the navigator's room.

"With a bunch of fellas? No, thank you." I reply. She pauses, and the tiniest smile forms on her face, then vanishes. I roll over onto my elbows. "With the lovely young navigator gone there must be an empty bed up there, however. Perhaps I could follow you up there, Madam?"

"Sorry. Women only." Nico smiles.

_ To hell with this disguise! There better be a __**very **__good reason for it, 'cause I'm missin' out here! _I pout for a moment, then roll back over onto my back and stare up into the starry sky. I am hesitant to fall asleep, just in case the boy does return, but eventually find myself drifting off until I am in dreamland entirely.

* * *

When I awake the next morning, I am pleased to find I haven't forgotten a thing. After a quick breakfast of eggs and fish, we hop off the ship and onto the sandbar we anchored off of. Usopp tries to feign sickness so that he could stay and guard the ship, claiming his chronic I-can't-set-foot-on-this-island disease was flaring up, but we drag him off the ship regardless.

The island itself is a good two hundred meters or so from the sandbar, and it is then I learn that three of our party are Devil's Fruit users – Monkey, Nico, and Tony Tony – though I haven't a clue what their powers are. It's been some time since I last knew someone who had eaten one of the Fruits. His power was to control plants; apparently the variety of abilities you can gain from them is nearly limitless. But they all have one thing in common: you lose the sea's favor, becoming useless dead weight in the water. I'd figured that if I was human I'd eat a Fruit if I ever came across one, but I'm not.

After much convincing, Usopp builds a large canoe to take us across with some spare timber. However it's not large enough for all six of us.

"Squid-head! You can push, right?" Monkey grinned.

"The hell am I now, your ferry?" I shout.

Monkey scratches his chin. "I was thinking I'd make you 'underwater guy', but I guess if you want that, then…"

"Never mind! Never mind!" I interrupt. "I feel like I'm bein' used."

"Could you please, Mr. Sinagra?" Asks Nico. "It would be a great help to us."

My eyes light up in hearts of love. "Anything for you, Madam!" The five of them get in the canoe, and I hop into the ocean behind them and propel us towards the island at an impressive speed.

When we reach the shore we find a quaint little village. The buildings are built into the ground with earthen materials, and even have grass growing atop their roofs. _Either they planned it this way, or this village has seen some serious neglect the past several years_. A number of people are out and about in the village square, but they seem lost, confused. We ask one if they'd seen a green-haired swordsman or a woman riding a strange boat vehicle around, but the people here can't seem to remember a thing before this morning. "I'm gonna check this inn over here." I tell them.

"I doubt you'll have any more luck in there." Sanji replies. I ignore him and head on into the cozy building. Inside is an old man with a bushy moustache and beard standing behind the front desk.

"Hello!" He hails. "What can I do for you?" he says. I am about to answer, but he continues on with a "No, seriously – what **can** I do? I haven't a clue who I am or what I'm doing here!" I sigh. _This fella don't remember nothin' past today either._ _Well, maybe one of 'em was here this morning._

"Well, I'm lookin' for some people. Have you seen-" Before I can finish the sentence, there is a loud crash outside. _What'd they do now?_ I hurry back out to the village square, and find everyone gathered around Nami, who is sitting on a stone bench, fiercely guarding the bag she ran off with yesterday.

"I'm not letting any of you lay a finger on this treasure, you hear me!?" She yells.

"I would never do such a thing to you, Ma'am!" Proclaims Sanji. "Though the thought is tempting…" He whispers.

"I don't care about that, Nami," Monkey says in a whiny voice, "I've just come to get you back in the crew!"

Nami shoots a glare at him. "Okay, we'll make a deal." Monkey cocks his head to the side in confusion. "I'll give you 10% of the treasure, and in exchange you take me back to Cocoyashi Village."

_Did she say…?_ "Madam!" I exclaim. "D'you say Cocoyashi Village? That's where I need to be!"

Nami cocks an eyebrow at me. "Why do you need to…? Wait a minute! You're a fishman! Are you part of Arlong's crew?" She growls.

"Now hold on a minute! How dare-"

Monkey laughs. "Arlong? I kicked his ass already; don't worry about him!"

My jaw drops. Nami's does too. "You WHAT!?" we both yell. Monkey continues to laugh, absentmindedly.

I pull Nami off to the side for a moment and whisper, out of the others' hearing, "Madam, it looks like you hate Arlong just as much as I do. I reckon we oughta form an alliance to find a way back to Cocoyashi to see if what this dork's saying is true."

Nami nods. "Two heads are better than one, I guess. But what did he do to you? Arlong is a supremacist – there's no way he'd harm another fishman."

I think back for a moment. _No, you're right. He didn't. But that ain't why..._ "Another time, maybe. For now, let's go along with 'em, until it's opportune to leave." Nami agrees.

"Are you two lovebirds done?" Nico asks in dry mockery. Nami yells in protest of the accusation, but I can only find it in me to blush.

We give Nami a brief retelling of what happened on the ship after she took off, how the boy returned and tried to steal more of our memories, and how Monkey was able to gain his back. She doesn't believe it at first, but even more so she doesn't believe that she could actually be a pirate. Her attitude towards pirates is fiercely antagonistic. Not that mine is much better, though.

We are mostly unsure on where to search for the boy, but Nico has an idea, so we follow her, though cautiously. She takes us up a trail along the coast, up into the hills overlooking the village. We reach the edge of a forest, and Nico does some poking around here and there, looking for something. I peer into the woods. They are eerily dark considering it's midday, and they give me the creeps. I glance over at Nico, and notice the rock she's looking at has some strange inscriptions carved into it. _Monkey did say she was an archaeologist._ "Madam Nico!" I say, happily. "You can read that? I'm impressed!"

She smiles. "Yes, and not only that, but I've discovered something about our memory thief." That gets everyone's attention. "Or rather, I should say – I know who the _real_ thief is."

"It isn't that shitty brat?" Says Sanji.

"You'll see when we find him. Come, I have a hunch I know where he is." She walks into the forest.

I turn to Nami. "D'you reckon we should follow her?" I whisper.

"No, I don't." She replies. "But if our memories really were stolen, then I want them back."

"Likewise. Although I ain't ruled out this all bein' a big bluff." Nami nods, and we carefully tred into the forest, purposefully lagging a bit behind the others.

"So is the kid's base in here or something?" Usopp asks, after we've hiked through the woods for an hour or so.

"Yes, it's in a place called The Palace of the Sea Gods." Nico answers.

_'The Palace of the Sea Gods'? _"Pardon the pun, Madam," I say, "but that sounds fishy."

"You're one to talk." Grumbles Sanji.

"I ain't no fish, you curly-cued bastard!" I cross my arms in a pout. "Shoot! If you're gonna make fun of me, at least get it right – I'm a squid-type."

Sanji rubs the stubble on his chin. "Hmm, squid tentacles go well with tomatoes, perhaps a robust Madeira wine…"

A shiver runs through my spine. "You're a sick fella, you know that?"

Just then, from behind us, a twig snaps.

"Zoro!" Monkey exclaims. The swordsman has been following us. "How'd you manage to find us with that sense of direction of yours?" He laughs. Roronoa does not respond. His face is serious, eyes filled to the brim with viciousness. It's a look I've seen before, in those about to kill. Monkey however, doesn't seem to notice a thing. He casually walks back to the swordsman, as if he were a good buddy of his. "You decide to join us after all?"

Sanji notices it too. "Luffy, look out!" He shouts, but Roronoa's hand is already at the hilt of his sword. In one fluid motion, he unsheathes it and performs a clean horizontal slash. Monkey just barely manages to duck in time to dodge the attack.

Monkey sighs. "Now come on man, why'd you do that?" Roronoa's expression remains unchanged, as stern as ever. Monkey finally notices something is up, as his whimsical nature is dispelled. Roronoa pulls out another one of his three swords.

"Stop this, both of you!" Shouts Nico, who begins to intervene.

"Hold on. I don't think you should do that." Says Sanji. "That shitty swordsman is acting completely different from when he was on the ship."_  
_

Monkey is backed up against a tree. Roronoa takes a swing at him, but the young captain leaps into the air, and the katana slices through the tree as if it were paper. A low creaking reverberation echoes throughout the forest as the tree begins to fall. Nami shrieks. _It's fallin' our way!_ There's no room to get out of the way, but I can take care of it. I root myself to the ground, squatting down a bit, and raise my arms above my head. The tree crashes onto my palms, jostling me for a moment, but I keep my stance. I then heave the entire thing above my head, and toss it off of the forest path, and it crashes into the brush with the sound of breaking wood and rustling leaves.

"I'm impressed." Says Nico. "I didn't know you were that strong." I blush, grin, and flex an arm. _Girls always love the fishfolk strength!_

"You're being pretty reckless, Zoro. It's a good thing Squid-head was there, or they might've been smooshed." Says Monkey, in an admonishing tone. "I guess telling you to stop isn't gonna work." He raises his voice. "You guys go on ahead. I'll take care of Zoro, here."

"Captain's orders?" Says Nico. Monkey doesn't respond, but she can tell she's right. "Shall we go then, everyone? Our top priority should be returning our memories." Some of the others are hesitant to leave Monkey behind, but we charge him to fend off the Pirate Hunter alone, as he wanted. I wonder for a moment about who I want to win the fight, but ultimately decide it doesn't really matter either way.

We reach a tiny bay along the island's coastline, where long since ruined stone architecture can be seen rising out of the water, forgotten spires and towers. The sun shines gently on the bay, glimmering off the surface of the water, intensifying all the colors of the scene, the sapphire blues of the water, the bleach whites of the stone towers, and the verdant greens of the moss and vines growing on them.

"The Grand Line is full of unexplained events." Robin begins, as we are overlooking the site. "It's simply the nature of the sea to be mysterious." I glance over to see her raven-colored hair gently tossed about by the sea breeze. _Ah, you and the scenery are so picturesque, Madam Nico! _"You've heard stories about sailors losing their memories while at sea, I assume?" She continues.

"Sure." Says Sanji. "I guess that's what's happening here, then?"

Nico nods. "It was written on that stone marker: a story about a monster who eats people's memories in order to live. It would appear he's made this island his home. The people of this island have been trapped, becoming nothing more than his daily nourishment."

"That's horrible…" cries Tony Tony.

"Well, we may know what we're up against now, but it doesn't help us finding the thing unfortunately." Mutters Sanji.

Speaking of the devil, Nami and Usopp, who had been a bit behind the rest of us, both shriek. We turn around and find the boy with his seahorse-horn, standing atop a tall rock between the terrified pair and us. "You pirates are a stubborn lot." He says, venom in his smile. "But no matter. I'll just control you like I did the swordsman, and have you kill each other for me." He puts the seahorse-horn to his lips and begins to blow. Nico's eyes widen in fear, and she crosses her arms.

_What's she doin'?_ "Madam!" I shout. "Are you alright?"

Just then, Nami and Usopp begin to yell again. "Hands! Hands grew out of my head! What is this!? I can't see!" _Hands? Is that her Devil's Fruit power?"_

Sanji leads the charge. He leaps up after the boy. "I'm not in the habit of kicking kids, but…"

"Mr. Cook, no!" Nico shouts. "It's not the boy!" _You mean it's the…?_

Sanji yells a fierce cry of battle, and digs a heel kick straight into the side of the boy and his horn, separating the two, sending them both flying from the rock, onto the grassy dirt path. Another wave of blue mist squirts out from the mouth of the seahorse-horn, though I don't notice where it's gone. Sanji lands besides the boy, who seems a bit shaken.

"Where…? Where am I?" the boy mumbles. He looks up and sees Sanji's ugly mug scowling down at him, then cries in fright and flees.

"That boy was only being controlled." Explains Nico. "The real thief is…"

We all look towards the horn. Suddenly, it jumps up onto its tail and makes a mad attempt to escape, a pitiful sight really._ Oh no you ain't…!_ I dash in front of it, and spread my tentacles out wide, blocking its path. "You ain't going nowhere until you cough up the memories!" I spit the words out.

The seahorse scowls, and says something in its seahorse-horn-demon-whatever speech. "You'll never get these delicious memories back, you big jerk!" Tony Tony translates. _The little guy can understand animal talk, too?_

"Wrong answer, asshole!" I snatch the seahorse up with a tentacle and toss it violently into the side of the rock the boy was standing on earlier, and another gush of blue mist escapes its mouth and floats over to Nami and Usopp.

They both look at each other and gasp. "You! I remember now!"

The seahorse tries to flee again, this time scooting across the ground like caterpillar, but it is Sanji's turn to intercept it. He kicks the little bastard right in its belly and sends it spiraling off of the cliff and into the water. The mist this time finds its way to him and Tony Tony.

"Sanji!" Exclaims Nami. "We're back! Are you, too?"

"Of course, Miss Nami! You and Miss Robin are even lovelier with all my memories back! Ah, how could I have forgotten you two?" He dotes.

"What about you, Aki?"

"Madam Nami! You said my name!"

"So is that a yes?"

I sulk. "No. I still can't remember a thing."

"Then there's a chance that…" Sanji begins, but just as he does, just who he was about to mention shows up "…that this asshole hasn't gotten his back either."

A sword in each hand and one between his teeth, Roronoa approaches us, covered in bloody cuts and bruises. His expression is as ruthless as ever.

"Where's Luffy?" Usopp says.

"You don't think he…" Nami gasps. "Zoro didn't kill him, did he?" _All the signs point to that, Madam. It ain't easy for an unarmed opponent to go up against one with a blade, never mind three._

Sanji steps forward and lights a cigarette. He looks like he's been waiting for the opportunity to beat this guy up all his life. "You wanna harm these ladies here, you'll have to get through me first." He challenges.

Not to be outdone by a stupid show of machismo, I step up to the plate as well. "That goes for me, too!" I exclaim, and stand aside the cook.

"Oi, stay out of my way, you shitty squid." Sanji growls.

"I ain't about to be protected by a punk like you." I growl back.

"You're not a lady; I don't give a damn about you." He says.

I wonder for a moment what he'd think if he saw me without this disguise, but the thought disgusts me so I leave it alone. "D'you even know how to fight an armed opponent?" I ask.

"Do you?"

" 'Course I do. Watch me."

"That's my line, squid."

The seahorse resurfaces out of the water and says something. "I don't need that stupid swordsman anymore. It's clear I have to use my last resort on you jerks!" Tony Tony translates. _Last resort? I don't think I like the sound of that. _Roronoa blinks a couple times, but his face doesn't change any.

"Zoro…?" whimpers Usopp. "You… you there?"

"Of course I am, you idiot." The swordsman growls.

Sanji nearly breaks his cigarette in two. "Then don't give us this demon look, you marimo bastard!"

"Oi!" Monkey bursts out from the forest where Roronoa appeared. "Did Zoro come by this-" He spots the swordsman. "Zoro! You're back! Man, fighting you was tough, I'm glad I don't have to do that anymore. So has everyone gotten their memories back?"

"Everyone but Mr. Sinagra." Nico informs him.

"And I intend to fix that." I say, tossing my hat to the side, and leaping into the ocean after the culprit. Underwater, I scan the perimeters looking for him. _This could be bad. We gave him time to escape. Damn it, I'll never forgive that dumbass cook if I'm the only one on this ship who's left without their memories!_ But just then, I spot him. He's simply… turned blue. _That s'pposed to be a camouflage? Does he honestly think I can't spot him? _In a flash of speed I propel myself towards him and ensnare the thing with my tentacles. He tries to pry himself loose, but he doesn't even have any limbs; he's not going anywhere. We resurface, and I hear the others cheering me on. I bring the little bastard right up to my face, close enough so he can see the glare I'm giving him through the goggles. "You ain't escapin' again; now cough it up, small fry!" In retaliation he takes a deep breath, and exhales a thick purple smoke directly into my face. It stings my throat and lungs, and I let go of him in shock, quickly switching to breathing through my gills instead. The force of the exhalation sends the seahorse high into the air, but I'm too busy concentrating on getting back to shore, where the smoke is not so thick and fiery, but has still enveloped the others.

On land again, I take a breath of air, but surprisingly it does not hurt this time. "You all alright? D'he get you, too?" I cough. They aren't paying attention. I look around, and in the misty purple smoke are a number of figures. A lilac-haired woman my age, an old man in a coat and top hat, a pale teenager, a little girl with a sword, a scruffy man with a large moustache, a freckled man with several tattoos, and a red-haired man missing an arm. _Who are these people?_ I look at the others, those who had regained their memories and all of them are completely shocked, some even in tears. "Do you know them?" I ask, but no one answers. _Are these people we met during our journey? _I look back at the group, and see two more approaching.

My breath is taken from me. I simply cannot believe who it is. A man with bushy, beige sideburns in farmer's clothes, and a long blonde-haired woman in a faded red dress come closer, looking directly at me. "Mom…? Dad…?" I gasp, but the words barely make it out. They smile at me, the same heartwarming smile I always knew when I was little, that would comfort me in my darkest times, when I could find happiness nowhere else in the world.

And then, they, along with all the others, vanish in a blinding flash of light. "No!" I cry out. From the light comes forth a number of creatures flying about in the air. Three of them swoop down directly in front of me, and I recognize them instantly. They bare the faces and bodies of fishmen, but they are legless spectres, ghosts following me still, even so long after the nightmare they inflicted. I find myself unable to move under their haunting presence. My head begins to pound, and my eyesight blurs, but their faces are still as clear in my mind as they were last I saw them, even as I spiral hopelessly into the overwhelming darkness.


	19. Chapter 19

**Nineteen – Foxy Returns! One Last Trap**

"Come on! Take it off!"

"No!"

"We just wanna see what you look like, Squid-head!"

"I said no!"

For the past several days it's been like this. All the guys on the ship aside from Roronoa got it in their head to try and remove my goggles and bandana to see the me underneath. At times I'm constantly being chased by them around the ship, until I end it by jumping off into the ocean and latching onto the underbelly of the Going Merry, waiting for them to calm down and forget about me for the time being. At other times, they'll be sneakier about it, like during dinner, when I was forced to lower the bandana to eat, Sanji tried to sneak up behind me and snatch off my goggles, but I noticed the sneaky bastard just in time to grab him in an arm lock and give him a noogie.

"You probably look like a total wimp." Usopp taunts. "You should've heard yourself back on Ocean's Dream Island! 'No!' " he imitates, in an exaggerated, effeminate manner, then shrieks and pretends to faint. The rest laugh at his antics. I growl at them, angry, but also slightly embarrassed. He'd played out the scene before, but I still can't believe I'd done something so stereotypically girly; femininity, I've long known, is a lost cause on me. According the rest of them, I fainted during the fight with the memory-eating seahorse demon thing, and after they kicked its ass, returning all the memories it had stolen, they had to pick me up and carry me back to the ship, because I wasn't waking up to save the world. To make matters even more problematic, the villagers of the island assumed we were the ones who had stolen their memories, and we had to flee the island immediately.

"Hey, I got a faceful of that purple crap, ya'll only got the aftereffect." I complain, then turn to the women of the crew. "Madams, won't one a' ya'll help me out here?" I plead, as the boys look ready to continue the fight.

Lying on a beach chair, sunbathing, Nami is entirely apathetic. "I already helped you once." She says. Apparently Monkey was going to remove my disguise as soon as they carted my unconscious body off to the ship, but Nami kept him from doing so. Thus Operation See What Aki Looks Like began. "And let's not forget what you owe me from the last time I saved your butt." She shot me a wink. _Shoot, I was hoping she didn't remember that._

I sighed. "I fear sometimes your only love is the Berry, Madam Nami, and that all my efforts are a waste." I say melodramatically. Nami smiles mischievously. I reach into my bag and fish out my wallet. "There's a hundred thousand Berries gone…" I mumble. I never cared for wealth in the past, but now that I actually have some money to my name, losing it stings just a little.

"Plus another hundred thousand for this time." Nami adds.

"What!?" I gasp. "You… you wound me, Madam..."

"And five hundred thousand for the kiss." She interrupts.

"F-F-Five hundred thousand!?" I exclaim.

"KISS!?" Screams Sanji. "You… you k-kissed Miss Nami? You stained her lady's grace with your slimy fishman lips!?" He is suddenly roused into a fiery fervor of faux chivalry.

Completely forgetting about paying Nami her exorbitant fees, I spot the chance to poke fun back at Sanji. "You're saying… you ain't done the same, Monsieur Sanji? My my, and here I thought you was a ladies' man! Yet you ain't even touched the lips of the woman closest to you? Ryahahaha!" His fury is only magnified, and he leaps towards me with a flying kick. I block it with an arm and he swings his other leg around for another kick that I duck down to dodge.

"Now I have to see…" Sanji growls, finally landing. "I have to see the face that blemished my precious Nami!" I was expecting another kick, but he thrusts his hand at my face and latches onto the goggles. I curse wildly into the air and uppercut Sanji's arm off of me, then readjust my goggles and flee the man, whom Monkey has rejoined in his effort to unmask me.

"I told you assholes, I got scars!" I half-lie.

"Who cares?" Laughs Monkey. "Zoro has a huge scar on his chest, but he doesn't hide it!"

"I said no!"

* * *

Two days of hide and seek later, we meet a fierce storm, and the operation is put on hold. Massive waves heave our ship up and down, back and forth, and while the rest of us are trying to keep the ship from capsizing, Monkey is merely sitting atop a barrel, enjoying himself as it slides from port to starboard and back again with each wave the ship hits.

"Aki!" Nami shouts. "Check down below deck and make sure we haven't sprung any leaks! And patch them up if we have!"

"Aye aye, Madam!" I shout through the fierce wind, and hop down the ladder to the room full of hammocks and mattresses where all the guys sleep, down in the belly of the ship. The sound of the water beating against the wood echoes loudly throughout the hull, and I do a quick scan, but find no water leaking out other than drips. _This old gal's sturdier than she looks. _But then, a much louder noise slams against the starboard side of the ship, like something solid rammed up against it, and a small leak begins squirting sea water inside. The noise made me jump in my skin, and I'm still a bit panicky, so I simply stick the end of a tentacle against the crack in the wood, and look among the stuff Usopp gave me for what to patch it with. Finding the weird goop he swears works like a charm, I get to work.

The leak patched up, I head back above deck to find we seem to be nearing the edge of the storm. What's even more surprising is the source of that loud noise from earlier. On board are a soaking wet Foxy, Porche, and Hamburg. "You!" we both exclaim.

"I thought I was rid of you!" I shout.

"And I thought I was rid of you too, you traitorous fishman!" Foxy shouts back, but ends his sentence in a sneeze.

"Come on, you three." Says Nico, motherly. "You ought to get inside, or you'll get terribly sick."

The remnants of the Foxy Pirates are brought into the kitchen and given towels to dry off. Foxy looks like a broken man, hardly the captain I served under for those few days, whom I saw play the Davy Back Fight with skill and ruthlessness. "What a shame." he says. "I lose my crew of 500, I lose my ship… this could be the end of Silver Fox Foxy it looks like... but more to the point, Straw Hat!" Foxy continues. "I want you to take pity on me and allow me to stay on your ship!" He bows prostrate before the young captain.

Monkey thinks it over for about a quarter of a second. "Okay, then."

"Just like that!?" Usopp exclaims.

"What? He lost his ship. He doesn't have a choice!"

I'm not sure about this, but then again I'm a guest on the ship too (even if the captain of the ship swears otherwise), so I don't have a say in the matter, despite that I know better than any of the Straw Hats how devious and underhanded Silver Fox Foxy can be.

* * *

Three days later and we're sailing on completely calm seas once again. Porche is chasing Tony Tony about, calling him 'Choppy', hoping to snuggle with the furry little guy, Nami and Nico are in the navigator's room, Sanji is cleaning the kitchen, Roronoa is asleep on lookout (as usual), Foxy is nowhere to be seen, and Monkey, Usopp, Hamburg, and I are fishing off the side of the ship.

"Oi, you're a fishman! You should be great at fishing, right?" Monkey says, like he just solved a great riddle.

"I didn't grow up by the sea, so no."

Monkey ignores that. "You think you'll catch us a big fish? Like bigger than me? That'd be awesome!"

"I'd rather catch me some shrimp." I mumble. The thoughts of the juicy little critters fill my mind and I find my mouth starting to water. "Raw shrimp, fried shrimp, grilled shrimp, shrimp kabobs…" I list through all the ways I know to cook them like it's my mantra.

Half in a daze, I look over at Monkey to find he's just as enamored by the prospect of good food. "That… that sounds really good!" he drools.

"Don't it!?"

"Oi, Sanji!" We both turn around and yell at the open kitchen door. "We want some shrimp!"

He pokes his head out. "Shrimp? Well catch some if you want some."

"Alright!" I roll up my sleeves. "You watch me now! I'll get a whole school!"

"No way! Then I'll catch a whole sea!" Monkey exclaims. We both throw our fishing lines out, blissfully ignoring the fact that that is not how one catches shrimp, when on the horizon comes the signature silhouette of a ship.

"Is that…?" Gasps Hamburg. "It is! It's the Sexy Foxy! Ahoy!" Everyone comes out on deck to see. Porche and Foxy cheer, and we all wave and shout to get the attention of those on board the ship. When we reach the massive vessel, they recognize their former captain and throw down a rope ladder.

"Well, this is where we say our goodbyes, Straw Hats." says Foxy, with a forced sense of nostalgia.

"Hold on just a second." I say. "I got a bad feelin' about this. I'm comin' up there with you."

"Oh? Want to rejoin the Foxy Pirates after all? I'm touched! But don't think I've forgotten…"

"Oi, Squid-head! You're **our **nakama now! What gives?" Yells Monkey.

"I never said I was a part of your crew! Shoot, I'm comin' back anyway, so don't worry none." That calms him down. Foxy, Porche, Hamburg, and I climb up the ladder and board the ship, where a legion of relieved men and women, still with the Foxy Pirates' signature masks on, await.

"You all..." gasps Foxy. Many of those in masks get misty-eyed, some even break into tears. "What? What are you all crying for? This is our chance to have fun again!"

"Don't ye think ye be jumpin' the gun, fox?" A horribly familiar voice says. I look up to a balcony to spot none other than Kiba looking down at us, his grin still as sinister as I remember it being. "This ship no longer belongs to ye; it be the flagship of the Fang Frog Pirates now!" As if on cue, someone unfurls the sails, and the old emblem I had sailed under for a number of months is emblazoned on it.

"You! Who the hell are you?" Foxy shouts.

"Ye've already forgotten, ye stupid fox?" Exclaims Kiba, jumping down from the balcony.

I step forward. "He's the captain of the crew you decimated just before fightin' the Straw Hats. The same Fight you got me from."

"That ye, Aki?" Kiba glares. "Been some time, lad. Ye still followin' this fat fox around?" Foxy falls to his knees upon the word 'fat'.

"Don't act so casual with me, Kiba! You think I forgot what happened at Goldshore?"

Kiba sneers. "I remember ye being a lily-livered mutineer, if that be what yer referrin' to."

I growl under my breath, and the two of us stare each other down for a moment. "Foxy." I say, lowering my voice. "Let me do you a favor. In exchange for trying to mess up your game, I'm gonna whoop the tar out of this fella for you."

I see a mote of fear in Kiba's face. _That's right, you bastard. You don't got your boy with the Devil's Fruit to hide behind this time. I saw the limits of your strength on Drum Island, Kiba; you ain't nothin'._ Sweating he musters his courage "Alright then, ye bilge rat! Let's see this done!" He brandishes his whip, and cracks it once in the air. I move into a fighting stance, then charge towards him. I have to close the distance immediately. He may not be strong, but he's still got an advantage at long range with that whip. However, as I'm halfway towards the coated captain, he summons a number of pirates loyal to him to intercept me. I quickly count their numbers. Eight or nine it looks like. The one closest to me brings his cutlass up high above his head and down in a slice. I move to the side and circle around him, grab his sword arm at the wrist, twist it to make him drop the blade, and throw him into another one of Kiba's men. Another pirate, a large man my height, swings a great two-handed axe in a wide arc. I fall back a large step to dodge it, then quickly move in close to him while he's still recovering from the momentum, wrap a tentacle around his neck and squeeze tightly, then strike him hard in the bottom of the jaw. His grip on the axe loosens, and I grab the massive thing in a number of tentacles, wrestle it loose from him and heave it in Kiba's direction. I'm too far from him however, and he dodges it easily, letting it crash through a wooden wall. The massive man knocked out, I let go of him and toss his body to the side.

The noise has attracted the attention of the Straw Hats, as I notice Monkey and Usopp have climbed up the ladder to Foxy's ship. "Oi, Aki's fighting them!" Usopp shouts. A pair of pirates leap at me, wielding a club and a knife. The club is only wood, and I block it easily with my forearm, then move in and grab his arm in mine, and bring him in between me and the man with the knife. My human shield gets a nasty cut on his shoulder as a result. I throw him aside and break the knife-man's elbow.

"I dunno what they did, but kick their asses, Squid-head!" Monkey cheers. I look at him for a moment, and immediately regret doing so, when I feel Kiba's whip bite straight through my bandana and make a clean cut into my cheek. Blood slowly oozes out from the wound. I grit my teeth and charge towards Kiba again, who signals two more men to come between us. I make quick work of them, but then notice, only too late, that they weren't who Kiba was signaling to. To my right a crowd of Kiba's men part ways to reveal a cannon, pointed directly at me, already lit. _I ain't got time to move!_ I move all my tentacles in front of me, and cross my arms as well, bracing for the impact.

The cannon fires, and the cannonball slams into me with a force I haven't felt since I fell from the Knock Up Stream. It explodes upon impact, sending forth a cloud of smoke and intense heat that scorches me for an instant, singeing patches of my cloak and hat. It burns my throat and lungs, and my ears are still ringing from the sound of the explosion, but I waste no time. Bursting forth from the smoke, I charge at Kiba once again. Shocked to find me still able to move, on my feet even, he and all his men are frozen with fear for a moment. By the time he snaps out of his shock, I'm right in front of him, my fist already piercing through the air. "No! No! NO!" he yells, but it's no use. My punch connects with his gut with the force of a mountain. His bones shift, spit and blood fly from his mouth, his eyes roll back in his head, and he is sent soaring, spiraling across the deck, then crashes through the railing and splashes into the ocean.

The pirates still loyal to Foxy cheer, and those who sided with Kiba are broken. I hear a cheer from the opposite side of the ship as well; looking over reveals everyone apart from Nico and Tony Tony had come up from the Going Merry to watch. Exhausted but proud, I flash them a thumbs-up.

"A fantastic show of strength!" Remarks Foxy, making his way towards me.

"So," I say, catching my breath, "we even now?"

"Indeed! Bring the rest over here, would you?" I'm hesitant, but too tired to think too much about it. I wave the five Straw Hats to come this way. They by my side, Foxy continues. "I really need to thank you for all you've done for me these past couple days." He outstretches a hand.

I sigh. "Come on, we're even. Let's just leave it at that."

Monkey steps forward though, gladly to shake it. "No problem! Any time you need Squid-head to beat someone up for you, just call us!" _Who said I was your muscle-for-hire, you little fart?_ But just as his hand is about to grasp Foxy's, Foxy moves his up and points it directly at Monkey's forehead.

"Noro Noro Beam!" He shouts, and his pink beam emits from the tips of his fingers.

The next thing I know, Monkey, Roronoa, Nami, Usopp, Sanji and I are all at the bottom of a trap hole in the ship. Monkey's yelling obscenities up at the sunlight far above us, but no one is responding.

"Yelling isn't going to do a thing, Monkey." Sanji grumbles.

"Seriously though," Roronoa says, sitting down cross-legged in thought, "we save his ass and this is how he repays us?"

Usopp laughs, haughtily. "That fat fox doesn't know what he's gotten himself into. If the six of us really cut loose, we can reduce this ship to splinters in no time at all."

"I don't know," says Nami. "Knowing him, he's probably got loads of tricks in store for us."

Sanji knocks on the wall near him, listening at the sounds. "I think we can get out this way. Oi, shitty squid." He says. "Punch through this wall, will ya?"

"I just done got shot with a cannon. You do it." I grumble. He curses under his breath, then kicks at the wall. Sure enough, it shatters, and there is a room behind it. The walls are painted in strange bright colors and patterns, like some kind of a funhouse. Through a door on the opposite side walks the most hideous disguise I've ever seen. Long blue hair and an absolutely terrible attempt at makeup adorns what is very obviously Foxy in drag.

"Choppy!" He cries in a bad falsetto. "Choppy! Where have you gone? If you don't come out, I'll have to punish you!" Foxy sways his hips as he says 'punish', and I think I'm about to vomit at the gangly sight.

The others are just as repulsed, Sanji stepping forward to beat the crap out of him for it.

"Sanji, wait!" Monkey exclaims, putting his hand in front of the angry cook. "Oi, you!"

"Y-yes?" Foxy stutters.

He walks up to the monstrosity. "Where's Split-head?"

Our jaws collectively drop. Even Foxy looks a little mortified, like he never expected someone to actually fall for it. "P-Porche doesn't know!" He falsettos. "He just left." Monkey sighs, completely falling for it.

"There ain't no limit to his stupidity, is there?" I grumble.

"Not in this world..." Says Usopp.

Monkey turns around, disappointed. "It looks like he's not here." Immediately, Foxy pulls out a blade from behind, and aims to swing it down upon the young captain.

In a flash, Roronoa intercepts, and the sound of steel clashing with steel rings throughout the room. "Luffy, honestly." The swordsman grumbles. "Look at that face."

Monkey squints, staring intensely. _He's gotta see it... right? _"Are you… his sister?"

The tension in the room breaks. "Forget it! I'm through with this stupid disguise!" Foxy wipes off the makeup and throws off the wig.

Monkey screams. "It's Split-head! You tricked me again!"

"This… this is too lame to even joke about." mumbles Usopp. We all nod in agreement.

Foxy fires off a Noro Noro Beam at us, but we move away from its trajectory, scattering across the gaudy room. He laughs, and fires another one at Monkey. Monkey dodges it, but the beam hits a mirror behind him and reflects off of it.

"Nami, look out!" Zoro shouts, shoving her out of its way.

Sanji notices the act immediately. "Oi, you! Don't treat a lady like that!" He runs at the swordsman, and the two foolishly get caught in the pink beam.

"Tch! Monkey, you cheater!" Foxy grumbles, and flees through the door he entered via. Monkey immediately pursues.

"That's real ironic coming from you…" Usopp remarks.

"Aki, Usopp! Hurry, we've got to chase after them!" Nami exclaims.

"What about these clowns?" I say, pointing towards Roronoa and Sanji, whose faces are only inches away from each other, frozen in time.

"Forget them, they'll be fine!"

I'm happy to leave them behind. "If you say so, Madam!" I pat the two idiots on their frozen shoulders. "Have fun, ya'll!"

The three of us run through the door, but can't see either of the captains anywhere, only a long hallway with bunkbeds in the wall concealed by dusty blue sheets. I don't recognize it; it's not the quarters I slept in the few days I was a part of Foxy's crew. At the end is a solitary door, with a note nailed to it. "What's it say?" I ask Usopp, who reached the door first.

"Let's see. 'This is a corridor no woman may cross. It is the path of a man."

I catch up with them. "The hell does that mean?" I say.

Nami laughs quietly. "I guess we have to leave it to Usopp, then." She says sarcastically. My muscles jolt, and I take a step back. _She didn't just…! _Nami blinks in confusion, then covers her mouth with her hands, realizing what she just said.

"Aki… what's she talking about?" Says Usopp. I keep quiet, playing it cool, hoping it'll all pass over his head. His face tells me he's figured it out, though. "Wait, wait, wait." Usopp rubs his forehead. "Is she saying you're a… a…?"

I put my hand over his mouth before he says the word. "Don't say it! I don't know who else is listenin'!"

He nods, and I let go of him. He then puts a hand over his chin and thinks for a moment, staring at me. _What's he lookin' at?_ "You certainly fooled me, though." He says in a hushed tone. "I mean… you are pretty flat after all."

Nami smacks him across the face. "You don't say that kind of thing to a woman!"

His words shatter me. I shrink to the ground, sighing. "Well... he is kinda right about that..." I pout. Nami slaps her forehead. I regain my composure, but stay seated. "Listen Usopp, if you tell a soul about this, I swear I'll chop you up and tell Sanji I caught a skinny little bear for dinner, you got that?" Again, he nods, fearfully. "And as for you…" I turn to Nami.

She gives me an embarrassed smile. I mean to say something, but her cuteness just overwhelms me, and I find myself silent. "As for me…?" She repeats.

"I… Oh damn the world, Madam, I can't stay mad at you! You're too adorable for that!"

"Well… okay…" Says Usopp, after an awkward pause. "But what do we do about this door?"

I lean against a wall. "Ya'll can go if you want, I don't care. I'm done for the day. All I wanted to do today was eat some shrimp, and instead I end up getting clubbed, whipped, shot and thrown into a giant pit."

"Oh come on!" Pleads Usopp.

I don't budge. "The sign says 'only for men', right? I might get turned into a fella or somethin' if I walk through there."

"Would that really change anything…?" Usopp murmurs.

"What's that!?" I yell.

"You don't actually believe something like that, do you?" Says Nami.

I groan, and grit my teeth. _Must… resist… cuteness… _"That dork captain of yours'll whoop Foxy again, right?" I say. "I ain't worried."

They give up, and go on ahead without me, Nami too. I hear some commotion, but it sounds to be Usopp who's shrieking in terror, so I pay little attention. Sanji and Roronoa come in through the corridor a few minutes later, both sweating nervously. As soon as I notice them, I scramble to snatch the paper off the door, crumple it up and hide it behind my back. "What the hell was that all about?" Says Roronoa.

"Nothin'. Absolutely nothin'. What happened to ya'll?" I ask, changing the subject. "You look like you done saw a ghost."

"Worse." They both answer, then glare at each other for a moment. "Oi, shitty squid. Where's Miss Nami?" Asks Sanji, lighting a cigarette. I point behind me at the door. "You left her alone?" He shouts.

"Usopp's with her." I say. "Though I did hear him hollerin' a minute ago. Might want to check on him." Sanji tears open the door, screaming Madam Nami's name. "She's a big girl, she can handle herself!" I shout after him, but he's already gone off in blazing passion. Roronoa and I exchange glances. We don't say anything, and even though he can't even see my face, we can both tell neither of us cares to follow after the stupid love-crazy cook.

In the other room was a passageway with a grated floor, so everyone in the brig underneath can look up through, and in the case of someone wearing a skirt or dress, peek right up into it. _Is that really all the sign meant? I shoulda known it was somethin' stupid, comin' from Foxy. _Sanji returns with an unconscious Usopp over his shoulder, stating the door to go any further is locked.

"Luffy's with her, right? They'll be fine." Says Roronoa. Sanji even admits he's probably right, and we concentrate on finding a way out. Following Roronoa turns out to be a bad idea, as he gets us lost several times. We eventually just decide to smash our own path up, straight through the bowels of the ship, and that takes us to the surface in little time.

However, once we break through to see daylight again, we find the entire fight is already over. Monkey and Nami both stand over a defeated Foxy, Porche, and Hamburg. Foxy admits total defeat this time, but no one believes him well enough to stick on the ship any longer. We say our (brief) goodbyes and return to the Going Merry, hoping to never have to deal with that lying fox ever again.

"There's an island on the horizon." Nami points out, not long after we leave Foxy's giant ship behind us.

"Alright!" Exclaims Monkey. "We're having a cookout to celebrate our victory today!" Usopp and Tony Tony cheer for the idea.

"I'll pass." I grumble.

"No way!" Shouts Monkey, pointing directly at me. "You kicked that whip-guy's ass! Half of this is for you!"

"Will there be shrimp?"

"Sanji! Will there be-"

"You didn't catch any, remember?"

"No deal then." I say. I retire to inside the ship to take a much-needed bath, ignoring Monkey's whines.


	20. Chapter 20

**Twenty – Two Steps from Death! Onward to Water Seven**

The bathroom in the Going Merry is an eerie, yellow-tiled room. Fortunately there are no windows, so I don't have to be paranoid undressing. _Probably Nami's idea, what with a fella like that pervert cook on board. _My filthy clothes off, I fill up the bathtub and happily sink into it. The sea around this island is warm, and it feels fantastic after that battle. The water is desalinated, but for whatever reason I'm able to breathe both freshwater and saltwater, a mystery about my species I've never had answered. Not that I'd want to breath this stuff in though, with how nasty it's becoming thanks to all the gunpowder dust, dirt, and dried blood that was all over me. I rub the cut on my cheek, and it still smarts. Looking over myself for other injuries, I find only a large number of bruises, especially on my arms _I oughta get Tony Tony to take a look, but… then again he can't keep a secret to save his life._ I decide to stay in the tub much longer than needed, relishing the chance to relax.

Quite a time later (I almost fall asleep), the room suddenly becomes dreadfully cold. _What the hell just caused that?_ I turn on the faucet to let some more warm water in, but what comes out is almost freezing, and I nearly shriek. _Okay, fine. Guess that's my cue I been in long enough._ I rise out of the tub, dry myself off and start to wash my clothing off in the frigid water. Once it's all clean (enough), I wring as much water as I can out, and realize I really could do with having more than one thing to wear. _Hm… maybe there'll be a town on the next island and I can find me somethin' else._ My clothes still wet, I step into the pants, and am halfway through getting the shirt on when the bathroom door bursts open, despite being locked. Terribly startled, I manage to not turn around to face whoever just barged in.

"Mr. Squid?" I hear Tony Tony say. "You're still in here?" I immediately snatch my goggles and bandana and scramble out of the door. There's no one in sight on the other side. Still a bit shaken with the fright, I stoop for a moment to catch my breath, then conceal my face with my disguise and reenter the bathroom.

"Sheesh! What's wrong with ya'l-" I began to shout, but my breath is stolen away when inside I see Nico, completely frozen from head to toe, soaking in the filled bathtub, Tony Tony and Usopp desperately trying to thaw her out. "Wha… what the hell happened!? Is she… she ain't dead, is she?" I stammer.

Tony Tony's are filled with tears "I don't know!" He sobs. "The admiral said she's still alive but… I've never seen a person entirely frozen before!"

"Admiral…?"

"There was a Marine admiral of all people on the island." Cries Usopp.

"Can I help? How can I help?" I fret.

Tony Tony is about to answer, but from outside a voice calls his name. He thinks for a moment, then looks up at me and says "Keep dousing her with water. But make sure it's not too warm, or she'll crack. Once the ice begins to melt, lay wet towels on her. And whatever you do, don't move her until I say so!" I nod, and he leaves. I follow his orders, helping Usopp to revive her.

"What the hell was an admiral doing here?" I ask, placing a wet towel over Nico's frozen forehead. I'd overheard talk of the Marine admirals on the ship that brought me into the Grand Line. There are only three of them, but they are supposedly among the most powerful men in the world, and are led by a man even greater, Fleet Admiral Sengoku. This admiral's power must be the ability to freeze people, or power over ice, or something. "I thought this was just a random little island?"

"So did we." Says Usopp. "He said he was just out for a stroll, if you can believe that."

"So where is he? Ain't he after ya'll, being pirates?"

Usopp freaks out for a moment when I say that, just realizing it. I calm him down, and he tells me "He seemed like he was only interesting in Robin. I don't know why, though."

Just then, Sanji and Roronoa burst in, bringing another victim. This time it's the captain. Monkey's entire body frozen solid, a rush of freezing air accompanies in into the room. Usopp freaks out again.

"Oi, haven't you finished thawing her out yet?" Shouts Sanji.

"I don't know! He said not to move her!" I exclaim.

Sanji curses. "We'll just have to set him aside the tub and aim the shower nozzle off to the side." We agree, and get to work on getting Monkey's body to thaw out as well.

Not much later, Tony Tony returns, and tells us to move their bodies to the dining hall, where he's set up two beds for them to lie down in. "There's nothing more we can do but pray he kept them alive." He says, teary-eyed, but dreadfully serious. He then shushes us all out to the deck, so that they can recover. All we can do now is wait. The air is cold, but the tension is hot. No one is saying a word, all of us eagerly awaiting the news about Nico and Monkey. _If that stupid captain kicks the bucket before I'm through with him that'll just mess up my day._

Usopp breaks the ice, cursing into the air. "That Admiral… I'll never forgive him for this! What if one of them dies?" He sobs.

"Then there ain't nothin' we can do about it." I say solemnly. The others look at me, some gasping. "What? What's with that look? We did all we can. If they were past the point of savin', then we're just gonna have to say good-bye."

"How can you be so negative?" Sanji growls.

"I ain't being negative! I'm just… lookin' at things realistically."

Just then, Tony Tony opens the door. Tears are gushing down his cheeks. I fear the worst. "Both of their hearts…" he sobs "…are beating!" The crew bursts into cheers and smiles. I breathe a sigh of relief. Sanji and Usopp rush towards the door to see the recovering faces of their captain and crewmate, but Tony Tony transforms into his large human form and stops them from entering, saying they'll disturb them if they go in.

Sanji's happy enough that he's fine with that. "I'll go make them some warm food for when they wake up, okay Dr. Chopper?"

Tony Tony shrinks back to his cute little normal form. "Calling me Doctor won't make me happy, you asshole!" He dances with a big goofy smile, then returns inside to look after his patients.

Usopp collapses to the ground. "What's the matter?" I ask. "You sick from the cold?"

He faintly shakes his head. "Are there gonna be more guys like that coming after us the farther we go? I don't think I can handle anymore of this craziness…"

"Get some sleep, idiot." Says Roronoa. "You're just tired."

I ponder over his words. _Well, they won't be comin' for me... I hope._ _But there are some terrifyin' people out there, that's for dang sure._

We stay anchored by the island for the night, since the captain's out of commission and they both need their rest. It ended up being four days before they recovered enough that Nami felt safe setting back out to sea, and three more days after that that they were able to get up and walk around.

And of course, Monkey took that as 'able to get up and do whatever you want'. Bursting out of the room where he and Nico had been resting for a week, with a paper bag in hand, he shouts "Check this out, guys!", then runs out to the middle of the deck, pops the bag and a cloud of flour engulfs him, turning him bleach white. "This is me frozen!" He exclaims, hobbling around on one foot, stiff as a board. Usopp and Tony Tony fall to the ground in laughter, and I find even myself chuckling at his antics. Dusting the flour off him, the young captain looks up at his navigator, who was trying to get some relaxation in before Monkey came out and made a scene. "Oi, Nami! What're you eating? It looks good!"

"Potato paille." Responds Nami. "Be sure to clean up that mess, by the way."

Monkey agrees, groaning. _I thought __**you**__ was the captain here?_ "Sanji! I want some paille too!"

"Fine, fine. I'll make some more. Though this was supposed to be only for Madam Nami…" Twenty minutes later Monkey, Usopp, Tony Tony, and I are sitting on the side of the ship fishing, and commenting on the dish.

"What's 'paille' mean, anyway?" Monkey asks.

"It's meat from the tail of the great Sea King Paille, which I killed myself!" Boasts Usopp. "It was over a hundred meters long!"

Tony Tony nearly chokes on his food. "A hundred!?"

"Don't tell me you actually believe his tall tales…" I mumble, but everyone on the ship falls silent as the door to the navigator's room opens and out walks Nico. She looks healthy again, but emotionally she is still weathered.

"Robin!" They all exclaims. Tony Tony stands up and makes his way across the ship to her. "How are you feeling?" He asks. "Are you still cold?"

"I'm much better thanks to your regimen." She replies. "Thank you. You really are a great doctor."

Tony Tony blushes and pulls his hat down over his smiling face. "I'm not that great, you asshole! You can't make me happy just like that!" He laughs.

"Don't push yourself, Robin." Says Nami. "Luffy may be recovered enough to run around screaming his head off," Monkey gives a thumbs-up, "but you can take your time."

The near-death experience of two of the crew members seems to have made them forget entirely about Operation Be An Asshole And Try To See Aki's Face, which I am totally okay with. So, the next few hours, sailing gently across the sea, are rather calm; that is, until we spot an island. At least I assume it's an island. All I can make out is a lighthouse, that seems to rise straight out of the ocean itself. When we get closer, we find the lighthouse is built atop a platform, split in two with a raised walkway that connects the two halves. On the half opposite the one with the lighthouse is a pleasant little abode, big enough for a family of two or three to live in. None of us are quite sure what to make of the place, and as we're pondering the strangeness of the construction, the ship crashes into something with a powerful jolt. We're clear of the platform, that much is clear, so it must have been something in the water itself.

"I'll take a gander." I say, and tossing them my hat, jump into the ocean. I swim underneath the ship and find of all things a railroad track, floating just below the surface of the ocean, with the Going Merry stuck nicely on top of it. _What in the world is this doin' here?_ I follow it with my eyes in both directions, and it seems to have no end. Resurfacing, I shout to the others. "It's a railroad track!"

"A what?" Nami shouts.

"A railroad track; you know, it's like a-" Ringing bells stop me from saying anymore. I look up towards a pole with two flashing red lights atop it, and shudder. _Don't tell me there's a train comin'! Now!? But how's it travel through the ocean?_ I've no time; I can see it in the distance, a train approaching speedily along the top of the sea's surface, heading straight for us. _I gotta move the ship and quick!_ "Hurry! Move the ship backwards! We've got to get it off these tracks!" I shout, then dive back down and dash towards the bow, as fast as I can swim. Gripping the ship with my hands, I whip all my tentacles back and forth in a wave-like propelling motion, trying to get as much force as I can behind me. I hear the oars drop in the water and start rowing, and the ship is moving, slowly but surely. _This ain't fast enough! _I put more power into my strokes, straining my muscles for all they're worth. _If only I had somethin' solid to brace myself against, I'd have this moved in no time!_ I can hear and feel the train's rumbling reverberating throughout the sea. _It's gettin' closer, but I've almost got this thing loose!_ The tracks are at the bow now, just underneath me. The train is almost here. _Just a couple more pushes!_

The train rushes past us just as I push the ship entirely out of harm's reach. A split-second later, I feel a searing pain rush into my head, and I scream into the water. I wasn't fast enough, and the train tore the tips of two of my tentacles clean off. I convulse for a moment, blood leaking from the open wounds, then steady myself and try to swim back up towards the surface, but moving my tentacles at all causes a great deal of pain in the back of my head, so I breast stroke to get back up. When I reach the surface, the others are breathless, but still manage a cheer. "Rope!" I shout, my voice cringing. They ask why I can't just climb up the side of the ship like I usually do, but I don't feel like yelling anymore.

Once I'm back upon deck, on my hands and knees in pain, I find I'm leaving a nice trail of blood behind me. Tony Tony shrieks. "You're bleeding! What happened? Call a doctor!" A pause. "Oh wait, that's me!"

"Looks like that iron thing tore two of his limbs off." Roronoa comments. _You make it sound a lot worse than it is... though it does hurt like hell. _"What **was** that anyway?"

As the others leave the ship to go to the lighthouse, Tony Tony rushes to grab his first aid kit, then comes back and treats the injury. I find my non-injured tentacles recoiling in strange ways every time he applies some medicine to the injured ones, or touches it with a bandage; one of them even wraps itself tightly around his body in reflex. I apologize profusely when I realized I'm choking the poor guy, and try to maintain a better control over them.

All bandaged up, I join the others off the ship. Monkey, Usopp, and Nami have gone ashore (if you can call this a shore), and are talking with a round old woman who looks incredibly drunk, and a little girl I assume to be her granddaughter. Nami is asking about the train that passed by.

"I bet you've never seen anything like it!" The little girl says. "It's called the Puffing Tom, and it uses a steam engine to turn its paddles and move across the sea-tracks!"

"Tracks?" Says Usopp. "Is that what you were talking about, Aki?"

I nod. "We had a train track that ran through the town I grew up in, but I never imagined one could ride on water."

Usopp's face lightens. "Really? Where are you from?"

My face, on the other hand, darkens. "Some other time, short stuff." _Maybe._

"So where exactly be ye headed?" The old woman asks. "The Sea-Train can take ye almost anywhere: Saint Poplar, Puchi, San Fardo… they all be great places to visit."

"Thanks," says Nami, "but we have our own ship, so we'll be fine. We'll just follow our Log."

"Where's it pointing now?" Asks the girl.

Nami takes a look at the little compass affixed to her wrist like watch. "To the east."

"I see." Says the old woman, in between hiccups. "Ye be headed to Water Seven. That last train just departed from there. It be a place renowned for its shipwrights; they be known and respected throughout the world."

"Shipwrights?" Smiles Monkey. "That's great! We can get one to be our nakama!" _Does he still think it's that simple?_

"Oh?" The old woman looks at him inquisitively for a moment. Her expression is aloof, drunk, yet I sense she is somehow deep in thought over the young captain. Something about the way she looks at him tells me so. "In that case, let me get somethin' for ye." She wobbles back inside the lighthouse for a few minutes, then returns with a folded slip of paper. "Here be a simple map of the island, and a message to introduce yourselves with. Give it to a bloke named Iceburg and get him to repair your ship. Tell him Cocoro sent you. Water Seven is a big city though, so try not to get lost." Nami graciously accepts the gift, and thanks her. "I'll actually be heading down there meself soon. If our paths cross again, what say I show you to my favorite pub?"

"That'd be great!" Monkey exclaims. "I hope we meet again then!" We get back on board the Going Merry, thanking her again.

"It'll take about a week for the Log to adapt at Water Seven," Cocoro shouts at us as we're making ready to set sail, "so take it easy and enjoy yourselves! And stay clear of any government officials!" She and the little girl are both waving at us as we float off, away from the tiny platform and into the east, until neither of us can see the other anymore.

"Luffy! You can count on me to find a shipwright." Sanji assures his captain. "I'll find the hottest babe you've ever laid eyes on!"

"You idiot!" Yells Monkey. "A shipwright's a carpenter! You can't have some girl doing that job! We need a guy! One as big as a mountain! Five meters wide! Like Squid-head!"

I do a genuine spit-take. "Do I look five meters wide?" I shout.

"Sure you do!" He says. "Sanji, grab a tentacle!" _Excuse me?_ Uncharacteristically, Sanji plays along, and he and Monkey both nab one of my tentacles and pull them to either side. "See?" Monkey laughs, he and Sanji holding them parallel to the floor. "Five meters! Well, almost…"

"That smarts! Let go! They're still sore!" I yell at them. I would just shake them off, but it really did still hurt. They release them, and I take a deep breath of relief.

"Anyone will do." Says Roronoa, apathetically. "The problem will be finding someone crazy enough to become a pirate."

Tony Tony is up on the balcony with Nami. "I can't wait!" He exclaims. "We might get another nakama!"

"We sure are growing in numbers lately…" Remarks Usopp. "First Aki, now a shipwright…"

"I never said I was a member a' your crew!" They're all ignoring me. _As usual._

Monkey is finishing up a drawing. "We're looking for someone like this." He says, and shows us a picture drawn with the skill of a toddler.

"If I see anyone like that, I'm running away." Usopp mumbles.

Sanji agrees. "That thing looks part octopus; you two should get along." He says, looking at me.

"I ain't a damn octopus, you toilet bowl!" I sneer. We all give up on making any sense of Monkey's doodles.

Nami (who is predictably treasurer of the crew in addition to being navigator) disperses some allowance to each of the crew for once we reach Water Seven. She offers me some, but I tell her, like I've been telling everyone, that I'm not a member of this crew. She has no problem keeping the money, though I do spy a hint of disappointment in her eye as she leaves. _They expect too much, these Straw Hats. I got my own money anyway, though not as much as I'd like. I wonder if I should sell that Devil's Fruit. _Aboard Foxy's ship Jube had told me they're worth at least a hundred million Berries. I can't even fathom that kind of money; I wouldn't know what to do with it if I sold the thing. It's not like I really need it, either. _I wonder what I'm holdin' on to it for, then. Damn thing better not be rotten. Though I guess if it was in a treasury covered in a layer a' dust they stay good forever._

No more than an hour's time passes before we can spot Water Seven off in the distance. As the wind takes us closer and closer to the island, I am amazed at just how beautiful the city is. The metropolis slopes upward like a mountain, circled around a massive fountain in the center of the island. The city is multi-layered, split into different tiers. On the highest tier, just below the fountain, all the buildings are made of stone, calm whites and beiges, with red tile roofs of all shapes. Below that the buildings rest on the ocean itself, or on tiny bits of land still poking up from below the water's surface. The entire city is networked with waterways: large ones carrying bays' worth of water down from the giant fountain, and smaller ones going every which way, between buildings, above them, even straight through towers and houses.

"Oi!" A man in a fishing boat hails as we are passing nonchalantly through a lower city canal. "Pirates can't be seen just strolling in through the front gate! You guys'll have to go around to the cape and dock there!" The Straw Hats follow his words and take the ship around the island to a dreary bit of land left undeveloped and anchor it there. While Roronoa and I are furling up the sails, the unexpected happens. We all hear a loud snap, and look up to find the mast is starting to break in half, and is falling our way. Panicking for a moment, the two of us both catch it before it falls.

"How can you two be so careless like that!?" Yells Usopp. We ignore him, and lift it up back into place.

Sanji lights a cigarette. "I didn't know Merry was in **that** bad shape…" He ponders.

The mast fixed, and not going anywhere for the time being, Monkey and Usopp both dash out of the ship, eager to go into the city.

"Hold it!" Nami shouts. The two freeze in place. "You're coming with me. We have to go see this Iceburg about getting Merry repaired, and find a place to exchange our gold for money." _Gold? They got gold? ...I guess I shouldn't be surprised. They __**are**__ pirates, after all, even if they don't act like it. Wonder who they pilfered it from._ Out from below deck is brought a large bag full of what I assume to be their treasure, loaded up on a wooden cart. _A little conspicuous, don't you think?_

Tony Tony watches them go into the city. "I feel like I'm missing out…" He sighs.

"I'll accompany you if you like." Says Nico.

Tony Tony's face lights up. "Really? You think there'll be a book store?"

"Yes, I'm sure there will."

"Madam Nico!" I sing. "Mind if I join you in explorin' this beautiful city?"

She smiles. "Of course." The two take a moment to get ready to leave, and we then set out into the shining city.


	21. Chapter 21

**Twenty One – The City of Water! A Straw Hat Disappears**

"The flowing water makes this city quite picturesque, don't you think?" Says Nico, as we stroll through a market district of Water Seven. Nico, Tony Tony and I have been looking about the shops, buying a few things here and there. Well... mostly them; I've just been tagging along.

Tony Tony has transformed into his full-reindeer form, posing as a pack animal. "Yeah, it does. I'm glad they have sidewalks, though. I wouldn't feel safe on one of those boats." Throughout what we've seen of the city, people travel the waterways via small boats, pulled by a strange sort of horse-like fish.

I nod while taking in the sites. "Same." I agree. "About the sidewalks, that is."

"But you can swim anywhere you want, can't you, Mr. Squid?" Asks Tony Tony. "Robin and I are both Devil's Fruit users, so we sink in the water."

"I can, but that'd alert everyone here that I ain't human, and I like to keep a low profile." I pat him on the back with a tentacle. "You understand what that's like; otherwise you wouldn't be in that form, right little guy?"

Someone passes by us wearing a lavish gown, a wig with long, flowing blonde hair, and a painted mask that conceals their face. Tony Tony freaks for a moment. _Ain't he seen someone in costume before?_ The person has passed by us, and I look back for a moment. _They ain't walkin' with no one else, and they seem casual about it. _"D'you see that fella, Madam? I wonder what the occasion is."

"I wonder." She says, whimsically. "I've seen many people with masks on in this city. I think they wear them just for fun."

"What makes you think that, Madam?" She points to a roadside shop on the opposite side of the waterway, where on display are a number of various masks for sale.

"By the way, Mr. Sinagra, there's something I've been meaning to ask you about."

I look back at her, my brow raised. _Nico? Ask me? Oh goodness, is she finally goin' to confess!? The answer is yes, Madam!_

"I'm just curious, really. On that island where all of you lost your memories," She begins, crushing my hopes of a proclamation of love, "when that strange demon blew that horrible smoke everywhere, I recognized all the images of people that appeared, having heard the others' tales of them, but there were two people I did not. A man and a woman."

"I saw them too." Says Tony Tony. "Were they from your memories, Mr. Squid?"

I am silent for a moment. "My parents." I respond.

Tony Tony gasps. "Your parents? You have human parents? How is that possible?"

"Foster parents, sorry. I was an orphan."

The two say nothing else. I had hoped not to, but just thinking about my parents' faces for a moment brings me back into the past again. Their faces were so clear when that demon showed me the illusions, it was unreal. But they brought with them just as many bad memories as they did good.

My attention is brought back to the real world by a couple of men ogling Madam Nico. "Ooh, looking fine!" One admires. "Lady, why don't you ditch that guy you're with and come hang with us, huh?" Says another.

I step out in front. "Ehhh? And who're you losers, hmm? Talkin' with Madam Nico like that?"

The two men take a small step back, fearful, but keep their confidence. "Where the hell are you from with that accent?" One asks.

His buddy chimes in. "You wanna fight, tall guy? You don't know who you're messing with here. We're pretty strong!"

I draw in closer to the pair. "Ooohh? Yeah, you're right, you know. I ain't quite sure who you guys are; you're so tiny I can barely see you." I sneer.

"What now?" One of them growls. "You talking down to us?"

I put a hand to my ear. "Hmm? What was that? I could've sworn I just heard somethin'. Was it just the wind, I wonder?" The men get even more agitated, but nobody throws a swing.

"Have fun with them, Mr. Sinagra." Says Nico, smiling. She and Tony Tony have already gone on ahead, and she's waving back at me like we're saying goodbye.

"Madam, hold on! Wait for me!" I shout.

"Mr. Doctor and I are going to take a look inside this bookstore. That doesn't interest you, does it?" _Well... no... I just wanna hang out with a lovely lady all afternoon._ I let them go. Turning back around to the two men, I find they've vanished as well. _Great… what to do now?_ I look across the waterway to the mask shop again. _Why not? I could do with a better disguise._ I make my way over, crossing at a nearby bridge.

"Sir! Fancy a mask?" The vendor exclaims. He's wearing one himself, a silver mask with a spiral design on the forehead. _Reminds me of that cook._ "We got one for every type a' customer! Why don'tcha try this one on?" He hands me a white mask with a black nose, little ears on the top, and the word 'PANDA' on the forehead. I look back to make sure Nico and Tony Tony are out of sight, then slip off my goggles and bandana, and the man utters a gasp. "A… Aki?" He says. I drop my goggles. "Aki, that really you?"

"Do I… know you?" I say, apprehensively.

He takes off his silver mask to reveal the face of a middle-aged man who's had too many accidents with a shaving razor. "It's me, Andy! From the Nettles!"

It comes to me – it's his accent. It's like mine, like they speak back in my neck of the woods. "Andy!" I exclaim. "Shoot, it sure is you! How you been? It's been what… ten years now? Eleven?"

"At least!" He laughs. The man's grown old. The last time I saw him, he was in his late twenties, a man in the prime of his strength. "Damn, ya grew up! Ya ain't the snot-nosed kid I remember no more! How old ya now?"

"Turned twenty just last March." I answer. "So how'd a fella like you end up all the way out here? Long way from our corner of the world."

"Ain't it? Long story, though. Crazy ride my life's been."

"Tell me about it." I laugh under my breath. "I still can't believe ya'll didn't look for me back then. I thought for sure Gus'd never let me out of his sight. You know he was plannin' on sellin' me off the next chance he got?"

"No shit!"

"I heard him and May talkin' about it, the day before I ran off."

Andy thinks of that for a moment. "Hmm… You know they was in love, right?"

"Course I did. Everyone knew that. So what happened to the gang?"

"We split up not long after we lost you. Some followed Gus, but most of us (me too), we went our separate ways. Last I heard a' Gus the Gov'ment finally got they hands on him."

"Ain't surprised. Any word on May?" I asked. He shook his head. "Ah well." We pause for a moment. "Well sir," I say in a faux professional tone of voice, "I believe you was gonna sell me a mask?"

"Right! Right! Here!" He hands me the panda mask. I try and fit the mask over my face but find it won't work with my hat on as well; the ears get in the way. I take it off and ask him if he has one with a lower, flat top. He hands me a yellow mask with four red dots on the forehead and I try it on. To my joy, my hat fits right over it, nice and snug.

"I guess bein' yo' kind make it hard to walk 'round the street, huh?" Andy says.

I look into a mirror, and find that while it doesn't look amazing or anything, it's presentable, and fortunately, I don't think anyone in this city will care. "Yeah, it does. But that ain't why I'm wearin' it." I adjust my hat. "So how much I owe you?"

He holds his palms up. "Please. I ain't gonna take the money from an old face I ain't seen in years. How 'bout once Aqua Laguna blows over we get ourselves a drink a' somethin'? Catch up on old times?" I haven't a clue what that Aqua whatever is but I tell him sure, then wave goodbye and head back to the bookstore to rejoin the two Straw Hats.

However, when I enter, I can only spot Tony Tony, in his muscly human form. _Gave up on the pack animal gig, huh?_ The building inside is dusty, and though I never was much into reading, I can recognize the smell of old books immediately upon walking in. In one of the aisles Tony Tony is looking through a tome, with a stack of two or three at his feet. Totally engorged in what he's reading, he doesn't even notice me walking straight up to him and greet him with a cheery "Howdy!"

He takes a look at me and shrieks. The shopkeeper shushes him. "Mr. Squid? Is that you?"

" 'When in Mariejois, do as the Mariejoians do'. Is it that terrifyin', though?"

Tony Tony veers his gaze to the side. "You just startled me, that's all."

I laugh quietly. "So what are you gettin' here?"

He grows a big smile on his face. "I found some really good books on the anatomy of various species in here! They have giants, all types of merfolk and fishfolk, and some people I've never even heard of before! And they also have a really good book on anesthesias."

_No idea what that is._ "You really like books, don't you?"

His smile grows larger. "I do! Don't you?"

I think back for a bit. "Not really. I spent most of my life at a dojo, and there wasn't much scholarly learnin' there. And before that… ah, I'd rather not think about then." A pause. "By the way, where's Madam Nico?"

"Huh? Robin?" Tony Tony looks around the store. "She was with me just before I came in here." He raises his voice. "Robin!" The shopkeeper shushes him again.

"Maybe she's outside. I'll go take a look." Tony Tony nods, picks up his books, and heads to the counter to pay for them. I walk outside, back into the sunlight and the noise, and scan around for the beautiful raven-haired woman. _No luck. I'd spot that gorgeous face of hers in an instant._

Tony Tony leaves the store, his bag filled with books. "Is she out here?" He asks. I shake my head no. "That's strange. Where could she have gone?"

"Shall we look for her, then?"

Tony Tony thinks for a moment. "I've got a better idea. Here, follow me." He brings me to an alleyway where no one can see us, then shapeshifts back into his entirely reindeer form. "I can follow her scent." He tells me. We walk back to the bookstore, and Tony Tony lowers his nose to the ground and begins to sniff about. In only a few seconds, he's already located her scent. "I've got her!" He exclaims.

"Oooh, way to go, Tony Tony!"

"You asshole," he beams a smile, "praising isn't gonna make me feel all warm and fuzzy about it!"

I laugh. "You're warm and fuzzy no matter what you do, little fella."

Tony Tony follows the scent throughout the city, and I follow him. It seems like the direction is totally random, but I trust the little reindeer's nose. We find ourselves at the edge of the city, where the buildings simply stop and the wide ocean begins.

"I recognize this scent…" Tony Tony mumbles.

"Someone with her?"

"I don't think so, hold on." We go just a bit further, and find Sanji, plopped down on the ground cross-legged with a couple of bags of groceries at his side, looking heavy in thought. "I was right! Sanji!" Tony Tony exclaims.

"Chopper?" Sanji says, surprised to see him. "Shitty squid? That you in the mask?" He tells us that he too has been looking for Nico. Apparently he spotted her just a moment ago with a large person wearing a mask, similar to the one I have on. He shouted out to her (as he always does), but she made no response as she and the masked figure made their way into the alleyway we've found ourselves in now. When Sanji turned the corner to follow them, they had simply disappeared, as if into thin air. He hadn't a clue how. Then, only a few minutes later, Tony Tony and I were led here as well.

Getting nowhere just sitting here, the three of us hop onto Sanji's rental yagara, one of those strange horse-fish things everyone in this city has to pull boats along. It only seats two, so I get stuck in the cart of food it's dragging behind it. I scan the contents to see if he bought any shrimp, but have no luck finding any.

Tony Tony looks down. "I'm really sorry I lost her like that." He says. "I was just so absorbed in my book." _That he was._

"It's nothing for you to apologize for." Sanji says, in a rare show of generosity towards someone who doesn't have a pair of boobs. "I thought the guy with her was you or the squid, so I'm just as much to blame."

"I'm sure she's fine." I say. "Maybe the man in the mask was an old friend of hers?" _I just met one; it ain't a far-fetched idea._

"If that were the case, why didn't she respond when I said her name?" Sanji retorts.

I think for a brief moment. "Well… maybe she didn't want you meetin' the fella, Sanji. I mean, we all got our pasts, you know? Some of it we don't want others knowin'."

Sanji grumbles. "I don't know, I can't shake this gut feeling…"

Tony Tony gasps. "Is something wrong? Should I give you a check-up?"

"Not that kind of gut feeling, you moron!" Sanji shouts, then rubs his head in frustration and lowers his voice. "It's just something Aokiji said."

"Aokiji?" I repeat, not knowing the name.

"That admiral. He kept dropping hints about Miss Robin's past... that we'd regret being with her."

"Madam Nico's past?" I think for a moment. _I bet I was right, and she don't want these clowns knowin' 'bout her past as well._

"Like I said, it's just a gut feeling." Says Sanji. "Anyway, let's head back to Merry. If nothing's wrong, she'll turn up there." I agree with his idea, but the thought sticks in my mind the entire trip back that maybe I've more in common with some of the Straw Hats than I thought.


	22. Chapter 22

**Twenty Two – Grim News? A Crew Torn Apart**

When we return to the ship, Roronoa is the only one aboard, and as usual he's taking a nap. Sanji kicks him awake. I'm expecting a fight to break out between the two, but Roronoa says he has bad news to tell everyone. As it turns out, though they came to Water Seven in hopes of repairing the Going Merry, a man came by earlier to do an assessment and said the damage was simply too extensive.

"Are you sure?" Sanji says, fearful. "Our ship can't be repaired?"

"That's what the shipwright said." Says Roronoa.

Tony Tony begins to fret. "Even with all that money? What's going to happen to Merry, then?"

I shrug. "You'll just have to get a new boat, right? So what?"

That struck a nerve with Sanji. In three loud stomps, he walks up to me and grabs the collar of my shirt, stretching the fabric tight. "Oi, what do you think you're saying, you shitty squid?"

He can't see it, but I'm glaring down at him hard. I swat his hand away. "It's just a boat, right? What's the big deal?"

"That's not true. Mr. Squid!" Tony Tony cries. "Merry's a part of the crew, too!"

I sigh. _These pirates… they ain't very… 'pirate-y', are they?_ "Well if you love the ship that much, maybe you can have them save a bit for the next boat. Like, some of the wood, or the sheep head, or somethin'?" They don't know if that's possible, but it at least calms down Sanji and Tony Tony a bit. _I still don't see what the ruckus is all about. They ain't __**that**__ attached to the thing, are they?_

"This still doesn't sit well with me." Sanji mutters to himself. He lights a cigarette, and moves over to gaze out upon the city as he smokes. As soon as he does I hear him shout, as though his unpleasant feeling never existed and all that was in him was boyish happiness, "Miss Nami! You're back!" I almost do the same, gleefully exclaiming her name, but something in me keeps me quiet.

She's alone. "Madam," I ask, "where'd the two knuckleheads you went into town with scurry off to?"

"You mean Luffy and Usopp? I've got to tell you about that! There's trouble!" _'Course. It's always trouble with that no-good captain a' yours._ She explains just what transpired in town. They exchanged their gold for the hefty sum of three-hundred million Berries, and then headed to the shipyards to see about getting Merry repaired when they too heard the bad news. It was while they were touring the shipyard that Usopp, who was holding two of the three briefcases holding the money, was jumped by members of a local gang called the Franky Brothers, and two hundred million Berries were stolen. Nami had found him in an alleyway, beaten pretty badly. Unable to carry him back, she marked his location on a map for the others. Monkey had gone on ahead to the scrapyard where the Franky Brothers's home base is located.

Upon hearing this, Roronoa and Sanji immediately make ready to follow their captain into battle. Inspired by his comrades, Tony Tony too volunteers to help take back the money. Nami however, tells them they need to find and bring back Usopp instead. They agree, and then give me a look like "You coming?", but I tell them, like always I do, that I'm not a part of this crew, that it's none of my business what happens to their money.

The three then hurry off the ship, and Madam Nami and I are left alone. She's pulled out a crate of weapons to defend herself should the thugs that stole their money come after the ship. A spear in hand, a matchlock pistol at her side, and her trusty staff at the ready; she leaves me in a hazy infatuation. _Ah, I do love a woman of action! Makes my heart a-flutter!_

"Would you quit that?" She groans.

"Quit what, Madam?" I smile, clueless.

"Gawking at me. It creeps me out when you do it."

She may as well have just impaled me with that spear, because I feel her words pierce straight through my heart. I avert my eyes, but feign a swooning motion. "Ah, you wound me, Madam Nami! My heritage truly has brought me nothin' but trouble… Is it 'cause I'm a fishwoman that you feel ill at ease?"

"No, just a woman." She grumbles. Fearing perhaps she may have been a bit too harsh, she adds "It's that mask. It's creepy. Why don't you take it off? There's no one else here."

The sting of her remarks has already faded away, and I am happy to oblige.. I pull the mask off of my face, take my large hat off my head and feel the cool sea breeze wash over my sweated forehead. "Ahh, that feels fantastic!"

"Why do you wear all that then? You're pretty, why hide it?"

I laugh heartily. "Me? Pretty!? I appreciate the kindness, Madam, but you ain't gotta make up a fib like that!"

"No, really! I mean it!"

I twirl on one foot, then slink in closer to her. "Madam Nami, could this be… a confession a' love?"

She grabs my bandaged tentacle for that and pulls hard on it, then tosses it away. _Ow. Love hurts. _"It really **is** creepier when you do it…"

I sigh, rubbing the pain out of the tentacle. "It was actually the suggestion of your kin back at Cocoyashi Village that I wear the disguise." I pull out the bandana and toss it her way. "Recognize it?"

She does. "This… this was Noriko's! She gave it to you?"

I nod. "You can imagine the reception I got when I barged into your hometown, just after they was finally rid of Arlong's cruelty."

"Arlong…" She whispers. The name brings her back into a painful past; I can see it in her eyes. "You still haven't told me just what your connection with him is."

I hesitate. _Guess it wouldn't hurt to let her know a bit. Just her, though. _"There's a number a' men I'm out to kill. Arlong was one of 'em."

"**Kill** him!?" She exclaims.

I nod. "He was actually pretty dang close to the top a' the list."

"But I thought... why are you after Luffy then if not to avenge Arlong's death?"

"I'm gettin' to that, I'm gettin' to that." I take a deep breath of the sea air. "I was so excited when I discovered Arlong was right under my nose in East Blue, and then I get to your village and find he's already been beat." I pause, and the sound of waves and a small flock of seagulls cawing fills the void. "To be honest, Madam, I dunno how you can stand it." Nami doesn't seem to grasp what I mean. "How you could let someone else end the life of the one who wronged you so much, more than any other. Arlong was **my** prey, and when I found out someone else did him in… I'da had no quarrel if it was you, Madam, but it was some kid with no right to be the one to steal his death from me…" I clench my fists, my blood beginning to boil with anger.

"I see… but don't you think that's a little selfish?"

I calm down a bit. "Maybe it is. But that's why I got to fight your captain, Madam. If I beat him, then I beat Arlong, and my conscience can be at rest, if just for the time bein'." I expect resistance, an argument, a plea not to fight, but there is none. I think she understands clearly, and accepts what I have to do.

* * *

The others return as the sun is nearing the western horizon. Madam Nico is still missing, but Monkey has joined them, and Usopp has been retrieved, though he's being carried on a crudely made stretcher. _He looks injured somethin' bad._ They carry him into the ship, and Tony Tony begins his examination of his injuries. The rest of the crew is silent, worried over the health of their friend. I try and lighten the mood a bit, asking how the battle with the Franky Brothers went, and Monkey is happy to retell it, although he loads his tale with grandeur, even giving his moves names. _'Gomu Gomu Pistol' don't really give much insight into his fightin' techniques. And then there's his Devil's Fruit power… I still ain't seen just what it is._

Just as sunset paints the sky yellow-orange, Tony Tony opens the door and lets us know Usopp is awake. Happy to hear the good news, the crew follows the doctor into the ship, and I for whatever fancy follow them.

Usopp is sitting down on the bed, cross-legged, his limbs wrapped in bandages. He looks extremely distraught; his shoulders are shaking, and he's gripping his knees tightly. His head down, he can't look the rest of his crew in the eye. _I don't blame him. I'd have the same face on if I lost that kind of money._ "You had us worried, Usopp!" Says Nami.

"Damn right." Sanji adds. "You could've gotten yourself killed, charging in like that. We're just glad you made it out alive."

"I've been nothing but a burden." Usopp says quietly, almost choking on the words. "I'm sorry! I really am! We needed that money, and I… I… if there's any way I can help get it back, please! Let me know! I'll do anything!"

"You've already done enough." Says Roronoa. The words sting him.

"We won't know until that Franky guy gets back." Answers Monkey. "But hey! We've still got a hundred million, even if we can't get it back, so cheer up! No harm done!" I can see a fire spark in Nami's eyes as he says that.

Despite his captain's cheerful words of encouragement, Usopp is still worried. "What about the ship, though? What about Merry? Is a hundred million enough to fix him?" They try to hide it, but I can see in the rest of the crew that they don't want to answer him. _I wonder. Usopp's always the one to fix the ship… does he got a history with it? _"We're here at a first-class shipyard, so they can do it, right?"

In a rare occurence, Monkey displays the traits of a proper captain. "Usopp, about the ship…" He begins, sternly. "I've decided to get a new one." The white's of Usopp's eyes grow as large as dinner plates. "I'm sorry about deciding that while you weren't around, but the decision is made. The Going Merry's been really great to us, but it's time to say good-bye." The tension in the room is so thick you could cut it with a blade, but Monkey doesn't seem to notice. Usopp is frozen in place, shocked. Nami averts her eyes from him. Tony Tony pulls his hat down over his face. "So, look! I got this catalog from the Ice Guy's place; they've got a whole lot of brand-new ships we can buy. Well, with a hundred million we could buy a really big-"

"Wait." Usopp interjects. "Just… just wait. Luffy, that's a pretty tasteless joke. Not to mention ridiculous. Right?" A half-smile forms on his face. "Look, man, Chopper even thought you were serious! Nami, go ahead and tell him off like you always do!" Nami is silent. We're all silent. _This hurts to watch. The boy's just makin' a fool of himself._ "You… You're kidding, right? You mean we can't afford the repairs? We can't afford it because I lost the two-hundred million? Damn it! I knew it!"

"That's not it, Usopp!" Luffy shouts, angry.

"Then what? What is it? Spit it out! Do you think I can't handle it?"

"Of course not! Losing the money has nothing to do with it!"

"Then why? Why are you spouting this bullshit about a new ship!?"

"Stop it, both of you!" Roronoa steps in between them. "Arguing isn't going to do a damn thing! Calm down and talk it over!"

"How can I be calm!?" Usopp growls. "This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life! The captain says we're changing ships and I'm supposed to roll over and accept it? What is it then, Luffy? What is it? If it's not because the money was stolen, then what's it about? Eh, Luffy?"

Monkey tells him, straightforward and simple. The rage in Usopp's face subsides only slightly. He thinks over what he heard for a moment, then looks his captain in the eye. "So you let some guys you just met feed you a story, and you believed it? You're just going to let Merry die here?"

"So you'd rather drag out his sufferin' and have him die in pain?" I don't know why I blurted the words out. This was a conflict of interests between them, not me, and I should've kept out. But seeing him whine and complain just stirred something in me and I lost control for a moment.

"Who are you to talk!?" Usopp yells. "You haven't been with us on our adventures! Merry's our nakama! He's been with us since the very beginning!"

"Tch. Fine! I see when I ain't wanted." I scowl. "It's embarrassin' listenin' to the two of you boys anyway." I walk out into the light of the sunset, and after slamming the door, lean against the wooden wall of the ship and seeth. Their argument gets more and more intense. Muffled yelling is thrown back and forth. Something breaks. Five minutes later, the door opens up and Usopp walks out. His look has changed. He's grown some determination, some resolve in him. Or maybe it's just angst. He hops off the ship, then is quickly followed by Nami, Sanji, and Tony Tony, all crying his name and asking him to come back. _So that's how it ends, hm?  
_

Monkey and Roronoa walk out as well, and Usopp hears them. He stops. "Luffy, I can't be in your crew anymore. And because you're the captain, the ship belongs to you. That leaves me only one alternative." He turns around. "Monkey D. Luffy!" He shouts, his voice echoing with a power I'd not yet heard in the little man. "I challenge you to a duel!"

Nami gasps. "What is he saying? He can't possibly…"

"I will return at 10 o'clock tonight! Whoever wins the duel gets to keep Merry!" Usopp leaves into the city, and no more is said.

I move to the edge of the ship and hop off. "Don't follow him." Monkey says, gravely.

I look back up at the young captain, through the circular eyeholes of the yellow mask. "Pardon me?" I say, angry.

"That's a captain's order!" Monkey shouts.

"How many times do I gotta tell you, you ingrate?" I shout back. "I **ain't **a member of your crew! I'll do whatever I please, and if that means keeping a dumbass from killin' himself over somethin' as stupid as a damn boat, then that's that." I can hear the mixture of sounds from aboard the dead ship, growls, whimpers, sighs, and the creaking of old wood as I follow that skinny idiot into the city.


	23. Chapter 23

**Twenty Three – The Brave Man of the Sea! Tempted by the Fruit**

_Honestly, why do I even care? I must be goin' outta my mind, carin' so much over these stupid pirates. _I sigh. The city is eerily quiet now compared to the bustle during the daytime. Those who are on the streets are hushed, quickly passing by me without even so much as a glance in my direction. Some people are even boarding up their doors and windows. _What in the world could be happenin'? Is it __**that**__ dangerous here at night?_ With the sidewalks so vacant, Usopp is easy to spot. He doesn't even seem to realize I'm following him from a distance. _Must be mighty deep in thought over his duel. I ain't even makin' an effort to mask my presence_. Another sigh. _I know why I'm followin' him. It's 'cause he's actually got the guts to confront him. What's been keepin' you, Aki? There been a couple snags, but there ain't nothin' in the way of you fightin' Monkey now. So what if they got money problems? You oughta turn right around and... No. No, Usopp beat you to it, so it's tough shit for now. You're just gonna have to wait again until after their duel. _

The first inn Usopp comes across he enters, and I follow, taking the mask off my face. Inside he's at the front counter. I look him over. He's still covered in bandages, wounds from a previous battle, probably with those Franky Brothers. _And he reckons he'll win a fight against a Devil's Fruit user like this?_

"Just gimme a room for the night." He says.

"For one?" Asks the receptionist.

"For two." I cut in, and put some Berries on the counter. Usopp turns to me with surprise. I give him a half-grin and say a simple "Howdy."

"Aki...? Is that you?"

"In the flesh."

"That's… not what I expected you to look like."

"Oh…?"

"Did one of the others send you?" He says, changing the subject. "Nami? Chopper?"

"Course not. I chose to leave, just like you." The receptionist hands Usopp a key and directs us to the room on the second floor.

"Don't bother me, okay? I've got a lot to prepare for." Usopp bluntly says as we enter the room. Inside are two beds, a short drawer with a lamp on top of it, a small hallway leading to a bathroom, and a single window.

I shrug. "Whatever. I'm just gonna wash these clothes off." I move to the small bathroom and close and lock the door. Stripping, I turn the faucet on and fill up a shallow pool in the tub, then dunk my clothes in one by one, washing them off with a nearby bar of soap. When I get to my bag of stuff, I empty out the contents: a pouch full of money, some ointment and bandages, a compass, the mask from Foxy's crew, the small box that holds a keepsake from my parents, and last but not least, the Devil's Fruit, in an airtight flask I found while with the Fang Frogs (just in case seawater will ruin it or something). That gets me to thinking. I open the flask and look at the fruit. It's still as it was the last time I saw it; a bright yellow berry no larger than my fist, with a swirly pattern etched into its skin. _Strange to think this little thing holds such terrifyin' power. I wonder what they really are. Are they really filled with devils? Were they once normal fruits? Why does eatin' one make the sea your enemy? Why will eatin' two kill you? _The thought of consuming the fruit doesn't cross my mind, but it is mesmerizing to look at and think about. I snap out of my trance eventually, and slip the fruit back in its container.

Wrapping a towel around my waist, I open the door and head out into the main room, waiting for my clothes to dry. Usopp has a number of things spread out across the floor: several vials filled with chemicals, some strange seashells with holes poked in them, a large number of bladed shurikens, and many other assorted items. At the moment he's grinding some powdery substance in a bowl, no doubt an ingredient for one of his many types of bullets. Upon hearing me come in the room, he turns around, but as soon as he sees me he shrieks, and nearly causes a mess of his carefully arranged layout of tools and weapons. "W-W-What are you doing!?" He shouts.

"What d'you mean?" I reply.

He turns back around, averting his eyes from me. I can spy sweat trickling down the side of his forehead. "Aki… don't get me wrong, but… please put a shirt on."

"My clothes are dryin', I can't- Wait…" _Is that it? Really? _"Oh come on! Don't tell me seein' a woman's chest bothers you. Besides, I thought…" I pinch my nose, "I was kinda flat after all." I say, imitating his voice.

"I-it's not for me!" He exclaims. "Aren't you ashamed?"

"Ryahahaha!" I laugh. "The life of a martial artist requires one to do a lot a' crazy things, not excludin' trainin' naked under an ice cold waterfall with fellow students." He doesn't say anything, but I can tell he's still terribly nervous. I sigh. "Fine, fine." I return to the bathroom and grab a second towel to cover myself up. "There, better? I don't like constrictin' my gills like this, but I reckon it just can't be helped in front of a poor, sheltered boy like you."

Ignoring my jibe, he turns around slowly, then takes a deep sigh of relief. "Sorry." He apologizes, though I'm not quite sure for what. "I have to get all this finished in time for the duel, so I can't be distracted." He continues grinding the substance in the bowl, and I find a vacant spot on the floor, and lean against the wall.

Thinking about how best to say what I want to say to him, I watch him for a while, busy at work, until I've compiled the words in my head. "Hey, Usopp." I say.

He doesn't look up. "Yeah?"

"You sure about this?" I ask. "I don't know what kind of powers your capt- I mean… your ex-captain's got," he does a good job hiding it, but I can see the word stung him just a bit, "but can you really beat him?"

He stops grinding the powder and, extremely carefully, pours it via a funnel into a series of pellets. "Does it matter?" He says while doing this.

"Don't ask me. This is your fight, not mine. Ask yourself."

He stops for a moment, thinks, then resumes. "No, it doesn't."

"And why's that?" I ask.

"Because Merry's my nakama, that's why." He answers.

_That word again. Just what's it mean to them? I'll never understand. _"So a nakama is somethin' so important you'd lay down your life for it?"

He looks up at me. "That's right."

I start to get a little angry. "So what, you ain't got no goals of your own? No dreams?"

"Of course I do!" He stands up, offended.

"Like?"

"I'm going to become a brave man of the sea! Ever since I was a kid I've wanted to be such a person! Someone legends will be told of!"

"Then what if you die? What if Monkey kills you in this duel? There ain't gonna be no 'brave man a' the sea'! Just a dead loser of a pirate nobody remembers!" Usopp is gritting his teeth in frustration as I raise my voice. "Is one nakama worth losin' your dream over?"

"Of course it is!" He yells without hesitation. "Because that's what a brave man of the sea is! If I were to abandon Merry, my dream would be abandoned with him!"

I gasp involuntarily. I wasn't expecting him to win this argument, but his words shoot straight through me. Here I had always seen this annoying, skinny, little man as nothing more than a childish wimp, a weak-willed nobody who dragged everyone around him down, but now I see someone else: someone strong, determined, and totally confident in himself and what he's doing.

I don't say it out loud, but a heavy exhalation of air and a slouching of the shoulders shows him I concede the fight to him. "I see. Wait right here a moment." I walk back to the bathroom, and then return with the flask, setting it down on the bed.

"What's in there?" He asks. I answer by opening it up to reveal the Devil's Fruit. Usopp lets out a loud gasp like a broken wind instrument.

"I-I-Is… is that what I think it is?" He stutters.

"It certainly is: a bona fide Devil's Fruit."

Usopp swallows a lump in his throat in apprehension. "Why do you have such a thing?"

"Truth be told, I dunno. I was fixin' to just sell it, but I don't really need all that money."

"You aren't going to eat it?"

"Me?" I exclaim. "Shoot no! I'm a fishwoman; I can't eat a Devil's Fruit! That'd be stupid! I love swimmin' too much anyhow."

He calms down a bit from his fright. "Well, what are you going to do with it? Why'd you show me it?"

I smile. "I was figurin' I might give it to you."

Another windy gasp. "M-M-Me? Why me?"

" 'Cause you're about to fight someone with a Devil's Fruit power themselves, and because I'm feelin' mighty inspired by what you said just a moment ago. That ain't gonna last long though, so if you're gonna eat the thing, hurry up and do it now before I change my mind."

Usopp stares hard at the yellow berry, no doubt deep in contemplation. After less time that I thought it'd take him to think it over, he pushes it away and says "Thanks, but I'll pass."

"Oh? You don't want the power to win this fight?"

Usopp stands up proud, and puts one foot up on the bed in a pose like a superhero. "I said I'm gonna be a brave man of the **sea**, remember? How could the great Usopp call himself that if he ate one of those things?" He grins.

I nod. "Fair enough." I pack the Devil's Fruit back inside, seal the lid shut, and then elicit a tiny laugh. "Don't tell no one I got this thing, by the way. Especially not Madam Nami. She of all people don't need to know I'm toting a hundred million Berries 'round with me." As soon as I'm back in the bathroom, the door leading out into the inn hallway creaks open. Startled, I quickly hide behind the bathroom door.

"Usopp… you're in here, right?" Comes the fearful voice of Tony Tony Chopper.

"Chopper? What are you doing here?" Usopp groans.

I peek through the crack in the door frame to see Tony Tony's small frame, carrying a backpack full of medical supplies. He's on the verge of tears. "I… I-I'm the doctor!" he exclaims. "I have to take care of your injuries!"

Usopp's demeanor gets serious again. "No."

"But you're injured! You can't fight like that! At least let me treat you before you fight Luffy!" The last words are hard for him to say.

"I'm not accepting any help from anyone. This is my duel and mine alone! That's what I told Aki and it's what I'm telling you."

" 'Aki'…?" Tony Tony says softly. I cringe. _Don't come back here! _"Mr. Squid, you're here?"

"No!" I exclaim, closing the bathroom door. "Do what Usopp says and go back to the ship!"

"B-But…!" Tony Tony cries.

"Have some faith in the fella, would you? He's tougher than he looks!" I can't tell what's going on out there, but after a short silence, Tony Tony accepts that Usopp doesn't want his help, and leaves. I peek my head out to double check he's gone. _No sign of him._ I breathe a sigh of relief and sit back down aside one of the beds.

"Thanks." Usopp says.

"Don't mention it." I reply. "I may not agree with what you're doin' here, but I at least respect it enough to let you go through with it."

* * *

A while later, Usopp checks a pocketwatch. "It's nearing nine o'clock. I'd better get ready." I watch him pack up all his tools and contraptions.

"Ain't it at ten?" I ask. "You still got a bit to prepare some more."

"That's exactly what I'm doing. Luffy may think we'll be fighting on just a random stretch of dirt, but I plan to have the entire area mapped out and filled with traps. I can't take any chances with someone like him; I've got to be in control the entire time." _Well, he's a smart fighter, at least. _Usopp has all of his stuff packed inside the large pouch he always carries around.

"Usopp." I say, before he leaves. "If you make it through this, could you tell that idiot captain somethin' for me?"

"You're not going back to them?" He asks.

I shake my head slowly. "Tell him he's got three days before I come after him."

"Before you…? What do **you** have against him?"

"You didn't think I was followin' ya'll around just for fun, did you?"

Usopp doesn't respond immediately, only staring back. "Fine. If I remember." He walks out of the room, closes the door, and I am left alone once again.

I walk into the bathroom and feel my clothes. _Still wet._ With a sigh, I throw off the towels and lie down on one of the beds, under the blanket, closing my eyes. _What was I thinkin'? Give the fruit to Usopp? I must be plum outta my mind._


	24. Chapter 24

**Twenty Four – Energies and Emotions! Prey to the Aqua Laguna**

Usopp doesn't return that night. In fact, no one does.

When I awake, I find I overslept. My clothes are dry, so I put them on, as well as the mask (just in case), and make my way down to the inn's main floor, but there's no one behind the counter. I do a quick sweep of the lobby, but there's no one here. _Well, whatever. Guess I'm keepin' these keys, then. _Leaving the inn, I look up towards the noontime sky. _Those're some mean-lookin' clouds. Wonder if it'll rain later?_

Walking towards the market district, I find even more people boarding up or sealing off their doors and windows. I ask a man why everyone's doing this. "Haven't you heard? Aqua Laguna's tonight!"

_Oh right! Aqua Laguna! …That don't help a bit. _I try to ask him what that is, but he's already moved on to another side of his house, and I've already stopped caring to know what this thing with a fancy name is that causes people to board up their houses. _A monster maybe?_

However, once I reach the market district, I find the people there are doing the same thing. Every shop, store, and stall is closed. Those who sell on gondolas floating around the waterways are packing up their things and making ready to leave, it looks like. _I finally get the time to buy some new clothes, and now this! Am I cursed to be with these rags till the end of days?_ _Shoot, can't even buy the materials to make my own._

Dejected I give up and decide to return to the inn to spend my time training for my fight with Monkey. _I told Usopp to give him my warning. I hope he remembered. _I start to think about the quirky guy for a moment. _I hope he lived through that fight, too. Agh… but then again, I don't want Monkey to die, either. Who'll I fight then? Usopp? That's seems a bit easy..._ _Though if that's what I gotta do, then that's what I gotta do._ _At least I ain't gotta worry about neither of them runnin' away again. They ain't goin' nowhere without a ship._

Back at the inn, there still isn't anyone to be seen managing the place. I find it odd they would leave it unmanned all this time, but count it as a lucky break, and perhaps even a second night's stay at no cost. I take the stairs all the way up, where a large, flat roof makes for a suitable training area. I even spot a pile of sandbags huddled up in a corner that might provide a tiny bit of weight training.

I start out simple, stretching a bit, then going over all the forms taught to me at the dojo, starting with the basics and moving my way up through the ranks, until I reached the most advanced. They were designed for a human body, and I try to be faithful, but sometimes I can't help using my tentacles to put my own spin on the traditional techniques. The movements of the forms have been second nature to me for many years now, but I continue on for a couple hours repeating them until I am convinced I have come as close to perfection as I am able to achieve.

Without taking a break, I then lift up one of those sandbags to see just how heavy they are. _Probably a bit a' work for a human, but they're as light as a feather to me. _Snatching them all up (I count about forty), I disperse them across my limbs, three to each tentacle, and five on each arm. I start out simply standing still, seeing how long that lasts me. It's a decent endurance workout, but I bore quickly of it and decide to move on to lifting them, as well as squatting up and down to train the leg muscles. I can't help but think how silly it must look if anyone's watching, but I don't care too much about it. _Still, I wish there was somethin' big here. Somethin' really heavy. I wanna see just how much I can lift._

Once that tires me out I drop the sandbags and decide to move on to meditation. My meditative training had only just begun before I left the dojo. "You spent ten years training the body, and you will spend another ten training the mind." Master had told me. _Shame things got in the way._ I drop down into a lotus position and close my eyes, beginning to clear my mind. It's hard, though. I never had time to become skilled in meditating, and even when I tried I wasn't spectacular at it. It certainly didn't help that last time was on a training mission with two others, all of us naked under an icy waterfall, and one of them was an extremely gorgeous, young beauty of a woman. _Ah, Madam Natsu… how I have missed your perfectly busty figure brightenin' up my day. Really, I- …No! No! Stop lettin' your mind wander, Aki. Clear it. No thoughts… no thoughts…_ I take deep breaths, concentrating all energies on the sounds of each breath, inhale… exhale… the movement of my diaphragm, expanding with air filling up my lungs, collapsing as it flees out my mouth. It was something Master would always tell me, from the first day I met him to the last time I ever saw him: "The world is full of an infinite number of energies, Aki. Learn to control those energies, and you will have controlled the universe."

The trance begins. I am suspended, a spirit to whom space and time have lost their meaning. Feelings exist for me only if I will them to. The sound of the wind under a feather of a seagull, the vibration caused by a woman tripping over a small wooden box and falling to the ground, the smell of a single blade of grass, I find my senses amplified dramatically, but I am uninterested in that. I do not know how long I just sit there, admiring and observing random sensations, but eventually I stand up. It is not a decision; it is simply what has to be done, and my body knows it. I open my eyes, but I do not see the city around me. I do not wish to. I only see my body, suspended in a colorless void. I want to stand firm on something, so I summon a ground beneath my feet. My body moves into the simplest of stances, legs spread apart like sitting on a saddled horse. My elbows pull back behind me, my hands clenched into loose fists just beside my waist, facing upwards. There is a strange feeling, something I cannot will to go away, and this intrigues me. It's not a physical feeling; it is as if emotions are welling up in me, but are moving about in my body. They move to my shoulders, then down my arms and eventually settle themselves in my fists. Courage, determination, hope: I can feel them in every fiber of my hands, a pure, unbridled mass of willpower. In a spiraling motion, I thrust my right hand forward in a swift punch. The power behind the punch is immense. So much that, to my surprise, the void is punctured straight through. Through a hole in the blackness, I can see the rooftops of Water Seven. The trance is half-broken, and all the senses begin to rush back into me. In a startled reflex, I whip my left hand behind me in a wide, horizontal arc, and let loose the power still in it to disperse the rest of the blackness.

I return to the world, and find myself standing on my feet, just as I was in the trance. My body is covered in a sweat both from training and from fear. The sun has disappeared, replaced with massive, dark grey storm clouds, the smell of rain heavy in the air. I am still on the rooftop of the inn, but it has changed a bit. A portion of the brick railing lining the rooftop has been demolished. The door back down into the inn had been boarded up, but the planks of wood have been smashed into splinters. Some of the sandbags too have been destroyed, a dusty thin cloud still lingering in the air around them. _Did I do all a' this? Was this just from those two attacks?_ I check my hands, but they are entirely unscathed. _There'd at least be a little discoloration in the knuckles if I just punched clean through a brick wall. What __**was**__ that I just did?_ I look up again at the sky. The clouds are so thick and dark I cannot tell if it is night or still day, but there is no doubt it will start raining any moment.

Still befuddled by what just happened, I clear the door of the broken boards, and enter back down into the inn. The entire building is vacant. Even the lights are turned off. _Just what in the world is goin' on? _I find my room, fumble for the key, and head inside. The window has been boarded up entirely. Not a peak of light passes through. _This is all so strange. The room's on the second story; ain't no one gonna break in._ I decide to take a shower to calm my nerves, but even the plumbing isn't working. Terribly distraught and confused, I crash into bed, hoping everything will make sense in the morning.

* * *

What awakes me however, is not a pleasant ray of sunshine, nor even an angry innkeeper kicking me out of their room, but a tremendous crash, as though a boulder just careened into the building, immediately followed by the sensation of heavy waves of water beating against my body and flooding my lungs. I jolt awake and thrash about violently for a bit, reflexively expelling the water out through my gills before I'm able to take a look around and see just what exactly is happening. However, by that time, the room has already been half filled with seawater. "W-w-what is this!?" I yell into the rapidly shrinking part of the room still filled with air. _Just what the hell's goin' on here!? _I try to calm myself down, but nothing is making any sense. _I can understand a storm causing a flood, but I'm on the second story! And the entire room is flooded!_ The door had been forced open by the gushing flow of water, so I put on my clothes and swim outside.

The cacophony has ended, and now the entire inn is submerged in water, and also incredibly dark. Papers, pens, and other small objects are floating about, following the currents throughout the buildings. Everything else – books, furniture, paintings, carpeting – if not already will all soon be ruined. I move to the front door to try and escape, but they are all sealed and boarded up. _Is this what everyone was doin'? This 'Aqua Laguna'? The tides ain't __**that**__ high, are they? _I check all the windows, but they too are boarded up. _How'd all this water get in? It couldn't be just a tiny leak, it… oh shit... It was me, wasn't it?_ I swim through the flooded hallway, to the staircase, up as high as it will go, where sure enough, the door to the rooftop is wide open. Swimming to the outside, I behold a frightening scene.

The city is underwater. The surface of the ocean is far above me, far above the roofs of all of the buildings I can see in the dark, murky waters. _Just what happened here!? Is the city destroyed? No__… _everyone here acted like they knew this was gonna happen. I swim back inside to find the rest of my things, praying the owner of the building never discovers who it was that ruined their business, then return outside, making for the surface of the ocean, determined to get to the bottom of all this.


	25. Chapter 25

**Twenty Five – Fleeing the Sea! Rumors Among the Refugees**

Surfacing, the waters become violent, crashing wave upon wave tossing me about. Torrential rain is pouring down upon the angry sea, lightning illuminating the sky repeatedly. I can spot in the distance the higher tier of Water Seven still above the ocean, though it's getting pounded by relentless waves. _This is crazy! I never seen such a storm before!_ I dive back underwater and swim in the direction of the still safe part of the city, trying my best to navigate the mad water currents the storm is producing.

After about ten minutes of swimming over sunken rooftops, I reach dry (well, relatively dry) land in the form of the tall concrete wall that normally would loom far above the lower sectors of town, but now merely pokes out of the ocean. It's only barely doing its job of protecting the city's upper tier. _Wonder how long that'll last. _There is a small break in the wall where a steep staircase ascends towards the top, so I choose there to land. The rain and the waves are still attacking the city relentlessly, but it's less tumultuous above the water than below it, and I'm thankful for that. I decide to take a couple minutes to catch my breath, then slip the yellow mask over my face and climb the staircase.

At the top is a shipyard. A large plaza stands before the giant gates that mark its entrance. The plaza is entirely devoid of any people, save for two men wearing large ponchos over official uniforms, rifles in hand. I wave an arm in the air to garner their attention. They notice me, but do not move from their spot, instead motioning me to come to them. I comply, running their way.

"Everyone's taking shelter in the warehouses!" One of the men cups a hand around his mouth and yells. I can just barely make out his words over the deafening roar of the rain and wind.

"What's with this storm!?" I yell back.

The two men exchange glances, confused. "What are you talking about?" The other one shouts. "This is the Aqua Laguna! Are you not from around here?"

I shake my head no. "But over half the city's flooded!" I yell.

"This happens every year. Though I'll admit, I've never seen it get **this** bad before!" The first explains. "The warehouse where everyone's taking shelter is just inside these gates, to the right. Are you alright? Can you make it there on your own?"

I let him know I'm fine and enter the shipyard. The winds are fierce and the rain is so thick I can only make out a few yards ahead of me, but I find one of the warehouses with little trouble, following the faint electric lights piercing through the sheets of rain. In front of the large double doors leading inside is another pair of city officials in ponchos. As I approach, they block my way inside.

"I need you to take off your mask, sir, or I can't let you in." One shouts through the noise of the storm.

"My mask?" I shout back. I'm about to ask why, but decide before I do that I really don't care enough to waste my breath on it. The two look as though they're expecting something from me as I reach my hand up to remove the mask, but once it's off, they both seemed relieved.

"Err- sorry about that… ma'am. Orders from the top. You can go on in now." One apologizes. The other opens the door just a crack, just enough for me to slip in and not get the people inside drenched.

Glad to be out of that torrential downpour, I take a look around. The warehouse is filled with citizens of Water Seven, spread out on mats on the floor, sitting on boxes, wherever there's room. People are calm in here, some talking among each other, some reading. The kids are playing, cheerful and untroubled. It's nothing like outside, where a maelstrom of noise and fury rages on. My arrival has turned the heads of a number of people. I pretend not to be affected by their stares, but I've never liked being the center of attention, and it does make me a bit nervous. My clothes are entirely soaked, so casually I take off my hat to wring out as much water as I can from it. Apparently that was a mistake; my squid-shaped head elicits a number of quiet gasps from those around me. "It ain't nice to stare, you know." I respond after a moment, confrontational but still gentle enough to remain civilized. Almost all those who were gawking turn their heads, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

While wringing out my cloak, something grabs one of my tentacles and pulls down on it. I let out a tiny gasp, then catch myself and look down to see a little girl, no more than six or seven, frozen in fear, the end still grasped in her hand. I pause for a moment as well, then sit down on my heels so I'm closer to eye level with her. "Can I have my tentacle back please?" I say with a smile.

This breaks the girl out of her shock. She looks back at a couple of boys her age poking their heads out from behind a large box nearby. "See! I told you it wasn't hair!" She says proudly, letting go of me.

"Nope." I say. "I ain't got hair. Got these instead." I wiggle the tentacle around a bit, frightening but also exciting her.

The boys emerge from their hiding place. "That's so cool!" One of them exclaims. My smile changes into a stupid grin. "What else can you do?"

"Well…" I say, thinking for a moment of just what to tell them, "See these?" I point to the holes in my shirt. "They let me breathe underwater."

The kids are impressed. "My daddy says fishfolk are really strong!" One of the boys says. "Are you strong, too?"

"You bet your hide I am!" I say, my ego swelling. "Why I can lift you up without even thinkin' 'bout it!" I tuck a tentacle underneath the boy's knees, and raise him up, letting him sit comfortably on the ride up. He's startled for only a fraction of a second, before he becomes enamored.

"Higher!" He says, in between laughs. I stand up, and raise him up above my head.

"No fair! I wanna ride too!" The other two complain. I'm happy to oblige; I lift them up to get a good view of the warehouse as well. Our shenanigans have attracted a bit of attention to me, but it doesn't bug me as much as before. The kids are happy, and I'm happy.

Of course, this is all swiftly broken when a voice exclaims "Jacob! Get down from there!" Coming towards me is a somewhat heavy-set, middle-aged woman. _She must be his mother._ "Oh! Put him down, you monster!"

Taken aback by her remark, I stammer for a moment. "M-Madam! I guarantee you they're in no harm-" I set the three down safely on the ground to prove my point, and the woman snatches up one of the boys immediately.

"Oh, Jacob! Are you alright? She didn't hurt you, did she?" She takes him back into the crowd and the other boy follows. I sit down with a sigh. I've encountered prejudice countless times before on account of my species, but it still hurts. It's usually only in places heavily influenced by the rule of the World Government though, and I was under the impression this city was a zone of neutrality.

The girl sits down next to me. "Whats the matter, fishlady?" She asks. I glance down at her, then up at the lights dangling from the high ceiling.

"Nothin'." I say. I look back at her. "C'mon, let's go find your parents. I'll give you a piggyback ride if you want." That makes her happy, which in turns makes me happy again.

I snake through the mass of refugees on their mats to where the little girl on my shoulders is directing me. Plenty of people give me weird looks. Some give me ones of disgust. _I suppose I am trailin' a bit a' water everywhere. Though I doubt that's the real reason._

"Over there!" The little girl exclaims, and points to a young couple, a few years older than I, sitting in the middle of the room on a large blanket with two other folks, a couple guys around my age.

"There you are!" The man, who I assume to be the girl's father, says. "Oh? And who's your friend?"

I hand the girl off to him and introduce myself. "Aki Sinagra." I say with a small bow. "But just 'Aki' is fine. I found this little critter over by the exit."

"Pearl! What were you doing over there?" Says the woman, admonishing. "It's dangerous!"

"I had to show Eddie and Jacob that it wasn't hair!" Pearl explains.

The two haven't a clue what she's talking about. "Are ya'll her parents?" I ask.

"Yes." Says her father. "Here, have a seat!" He scoots over, and gives me room to sit on their blanket. Still wet, I decline out of courtesy, but they insist, so I give in.

"I'm surprised." One of the couple's friends says. "I thought it wouldn't matter to people of your type if the city floods."

I try not to take his comment as derogatory, as I'm pretty sure he didn't mean it as such. "You been out there?" I say, slightly changing the subject. "It's mad! And ya'll go through this every year?"

"Oh, you're not a local?" Says Pearl's father. _You couldn't tell from my accent?_ "You certainly picked a bad time to come to Water Seven, then. Well, it's not **so** bad. As long as you completely seal off the buildings, there won't be too much damage." I think back to the inn which I inadvertently flooded. "Although, this year certainly has me worried. I've never seen it this fierce before."

"The guard outside said the same thing." I remark. I ponder for a moment. "That reminds me – why'd they make me take off my mask before comin' in? Coulda saved me a headache if they let me keep it on."

"You didn't hear?" Says another one of the couple's friends. "There's a band of pirates what shot Mayor Iceburg." _'Iceburg'? Ain't that the guy that old drunk lady mentioned? _"They wanted to make sure you weren't one of 'em."

"Pirates?" I say.

"That's right. They were called what – The Straw Hat Pirates?" I almost jump in my skin at the name.

"That's what I heard too." Pearl's mother adds. "I hate to say it, but that's just what happens when you do business with pirates like Mr. Iceburg does." _The Straw Hats? Seriously? I have a hard time seein' them up and murder someone, or even fixin' to. They're too gutless._

"You sure that was their name?" I ask.

"That's what I heard anyway. What, you don't know them, do you?"

_Crap. Backed in a corner. _"I… I came across 'em once in my travels, some time ago." I tell them, twisting the truth around a bit to avoid suspicion.

They exchange glances. "Don't tell me you're a pirate too, miss?" One of the other guys asks, a bit apprehensive.

"Me? No, no! I'm just a simple traveler, that's all." _At least that's the truth. _"So'd they say whether they caught 'em?"

"No word." The guy replies. "They got the entire Galley-La Headquarters building on lockdown. The mayor's inside. He's still alive, but I imagine he's in critical condition. The city's best are protecting him though, so there's no way those Straw Hats could get to him."

"The Straw Hats?" Comes a woman's voice from a couple mats over. "Didn't you all hear?" The five of us respond with blank faces. Pearl is playing with her hair, inattentive to everything around her. The woman walks up to our mat and kneels down. "It turns out the Straw Hats weren't the ones responsible."

The others gasp. I on the other hand am not too surprised to hear that. "So who is?" Pearl's father asks.

"They don't know yet, but Paulie himself declared the Straw Hats innocent." I've never heard of this Paulie before, but he must be someone important if his word alone is enough. "He said the real assailants returned to take the mayor's life, but the Straw Hats helped in defending him. The assailants then set the entire building ablaze and fled."

A shiver runs through my spine. _Ablaze?_ "In this storm? There ain't nowhere to run, is there?" I ask.

The woman scoots in closer, and lowers her voice to a hush. "This is just rumor, mind you, but… they say the Puffing Tom ran in secret for some World Government officials just before the storm hit."

"The Puffing Tom? That's that sea-train, right?" I ask. The woman nods. "Where's that go?"

"Oh, it goes just about anywhere." She explains. "But if it was carrying people from the Government, then I'd bet it's off to Enies Lobby, the Government's judicial island."

I don't really care where specifically it's going to; it's the fact that those idiot Straw Hats will go chasing the culprits all the way to Raftel if they're able to. _I gotta find out how to get to this Enies Lobby and track 'em down._ I pick up my hat and cloak and stand up swiftly, startling many of the people around me.

"Miss Aki, what's wrong?" Asks Pearl's mother. "Don't tell me you're going after them!"

"I actually got a bit of a grudge against them Straw Hats, so I can't have 'em gettin' caught by the World Government just yet. Sorry for not bein' totally honest with ya'll earlier." I apologize and fit my hat atop my head.

"No! Fishlady, don't go!" Pearl cries quietly.

I give her a reserved smile, and gently pat the top of her head with a tentacle. "Sorry, but there's somethin' I gotta do right now. Somethin' very important. You understand, right Pearly?"

"Promise you'll be back?"

I honestly don't know if I'll ever come back to this city, but I tell her I will, and that returns a smile to her face. It's hard, though; I don't say it, but she reminds me of myself when I was around her age: naïve, curious, just a little reckless. Before everything went to hell and I turned into a crazy, brawling idiot. I say my goodbyes, then weave through the people in the warehouse again to the exit, pull the cloak around my body and tie it around my neck, and head out through the double doors, back into the storm.


	26. Chapter 26

**Twenty Six – The Calm Between Storms! A Day of Preparation**

The wind is still as angry as ever, but the rain has died down to no more than a stinging drizzle. The two guardsmen are still standing watch outside the doors. "Sure you want to be out here, miss?" One asks. "We haven't given the all clear yet. The lower part of town's still flooded."

"That include the train station?" I ask.

The man nods. "It's all underwater. Will be for at least a day." I curse under my breath. _If he already got on there, then I lost him. But I shouldn't give up so easily._ I ask him the way to Galley-La's Headquarters building. He's a tad suspicious for just a moment, but points off in a direction. "The place caught on fire, didn't you hear? Just follow the smoke. I hope they've managed to put it out by now." I look off in the direction he points in and sure enough a large, thick pillar of smoke is rising in the distance. Thanking the man, I put my mask back on and hurry off.

It takes me only about ten minutes of running through the rain-soaked streets and puddled alleyways before I see the fire. The majority of the three-story building is in flames still, though one corner has been doused. Many people have gathered, scrambling every which way in their battle to put out the flames. I should help, but the sight of the burning building keeps me still. An old fear from deep within me returns, and just like the last time it arose, at the tragedy at Goldshore, I find myself fallen to my knees, paralyzed with fear.

"You all right there?" A deep voice from behind me asks. I turn around, reflexively. Standing over me is a tall man with styled navy-blue hair, in an expensive pinstriped suit. There is a blood stain on his abdomen, and his cheeks and palms are dirtied with grime.

The spell shattered, I respond "Y-Yeah. I'm… I'm fine." He extends a hand, and I'm too distraught to let my pride tell me to stand up on my own and not grab it. On my feet again, I notice he's within a foot of my height, rather tall for a human. "Are **you** all right, though? You're hurt."

"Mr. Iceburg!" A worker covered in soot shouts. "Thank goodness you're alright! We feared the worst when you left! You really should have a doctor look at your wounds!""

"Yes, yes. I will." Iceburg responds, sounding out of breath. He turns to me. "Excuse me." He begins to walk away, but I stop him.

"Wait a minute!" I exclaim. "You're Iceburg?"

He looks at me for a moment. His expression is half of curiosity and half a scowl. "I am. And you are?"

I take off the mask. "I'm with the Straw Hats! I been lookin' for 'em all night!" I hate to make up all these falsifications, but I don't have a choice if I want to track down Monkey.

"You're with…?" Iceburg looks me over for a moment in thought. The fire behind him, though dwindling, still gives the man an eerie orange aura around his figure that sends a shiver down my spine. "Ah, you must be that 'Squid-head' he was talking about…" He mumbles. _Yes! My luck's finally catchin' up with me!_ "You've already missed them; they're already on their way to Enies Lobby." _Never mind, no it ain't._

I curse loudly. "Damn it! How am I gonna catch up with 'em now!?"

"I'm afraid you can't. Not in this storm."

"Are they comin' back?" I ask.

Iceburg's demeanor lightens up a bit. "Well, they are assaulting one of the most heavily fortified islands in the world, but yes – they should be coming back after they're done there." _I get what you're sayin': 'If they live, that is.'_ "Now, if you'll excuse me, I really need to help them put out this fire." He gives me a tiny businessman's bow and heads on his way, the worker with him reminding him he still has a bullet wound that needs tending to.

_That's that, then. I guess I ain't got a choice but to wait. Monkey, I never had no love for the World Government; you'd better kick their asses over there, 'cause if you die, I swear I'll haunt your ghost for it. Wait… I think it's s'pposed to be the other way around. ...Whatever._ Glad to get away from the burning, smoldering remains of the Galley-La Headquarters Building, I leave the area, heading back to the warehouse where Pearl is no doubt eagerly awaiting the return of the strange and interesting fishlady.

* * *

By next morning the storm has cleared, though the bottom tier of Water Seven is still almost entirely underwater, just as that guard told me it would be. However, looking at the citizens you'd scarcely be able to tell such a natural disaster just befell their city. What are normally shipyards had been turned into refugee camps yesterday, and today are their own communities. Temporary living quarters have been erected by the town's vast legions of carpenters and shipwrights, merchants have set up shop, banks are open for business; I don't know how they've managed to do it, but they have, and I am genuinely impressed. As a sign of thanks, I offer to help Iceburg's company, Galley-La, with reconstruction. Even though we cannot yet access the lower city, the upper city suffered damage as well, namely from the fierce winds. They're glad to have someone with my strength helping, and I'm glad for the training the heavy labor gives. I even attract a small crowd of onlookers when I save the company a bit of hassle in reconstructing a house that fell over by simply pushing the building back upright.

Iceburg offers that I follow him out to sea in his company's flagship vessel in an attempt to locate the Straw Hats and bring them back, but I refuse the invitation, telling him as long as they're brought back to Water Seven, I'm content. _I need to train here in town; I won't be able to do that on a boat. And I sure as hell won't be able to fight on one._ "Watch for our return at Scrap Island." He tells me, before setting sail at midday. I pray he returns successful in his mission.

Helping with the reconstruction has me worn out by the time sunset is drawing near, so I bid the workers goodbye for the day and look for a secluded area of town (it's not easy, what with how many people are packed into the upper city). _I want to try and duplicate what I did yesterday up on the inn rooftop. It's clear there was somethin' powerful there, but what was it? _Along the wall that separates the two tiers of the city, facing south is a large, flat plaza surprisingly vacant. I sit down in the lotus position facing out towards the flooded city, close my eyes, and begin to meditate. I block out all noise but my own breathing and the rhythmic splashing of ocean waves against the concrete wall, concentrating, striving to align the two perfectly, until after an unknown time, I am in sync with nature, and I enter the trance once again.

My senses adrift, I ask my body questions. _What did you do? Can you show me again?_ I do not know how long it is until I am told the answer.

_It was not the body but the mind. It was the power of your emotion condensed into energy._ I ponder what my body is telling me. It did feel that last time, as strange as it is to imagine, that my emotions were centralizing themselves in specific places within my body, in my fists in that case, but how did I do that? _Was it not of my own will that it occurred?_ The response is direct. _No. It was nothing __**but**__ your will._

My body is right; somehow I know it must be. I should be able to repeat the phenomenon simply by thinking it will happen. I break the trance and return to the real world. Standing up, I move into the same stance, just as I did yesterday, though this time I am fully conscious. _Energies… emotion… will… Will! Will it to happen! Make it happen!_

I carve a punch through the air, sure a similar shockwave will emanate from it, but nothing happens. Stupefied for a moment, I pull that fist in and punch with the other hand. Still, nothing. _Damn it. I mighta known that'd be too easy. _My spirit is slightly crushed by the defeat, but I tell myself I will master this, that it wasn't just a fluke. I sit back down into the lotus position and try to meditate again. _I'm rushin' this. That's what it is. I gotta let this power come to me naturally; I can't force it._

I don't know when I fall asleep. I don't even remember trying to. When I wake up, it's sometime before noon according to the position of the sun, but my sense of time is all warped. _I musta fallen out of meditative trance right into sleep. How… weird._ _That's never happened before._ Despite my mental self jumbled, trying to realign itself with the world, physically I feel incredibly energized, although extremely hungry. My stomach growls demonic noises, so I decide to head into the refugee camps to find myself something to eat.

Three bowls of shrimp fried rice later I feel like I can take on the world. _I need somewhere to burn off all this energy! Where are those workers?_ I find the shipwrights from Galley-La and offer to lend them my strength again. They're glad to have it, and I spend the rest of the day helping with construction, moving stuff too heavy for the workers around, and all in all getting a good workout. By the time dusk rolls around, word comes to Galley-La that the Straw Hats were successful in tracking down the would-be assassins in addition to toppling the entire fortress of Enies Lobby, and that Mr. Iceburg had found them and they are currently en route back to Water Seven.

Upon hearing this a wave of relief washes over me. _I woulda hated myself forever if I lost that boy again. _I apologize to the Galley-La workers for leaving so abruptly and head for where Iceburg told me to meet them. _Scrap Island he said._ The place is impossible to miss; one area where Water Seven meets the ocean is a landmass entirely covered with a layer of scrap from dead ships – wood, metal, et cetera. Apparently this is where the Franky Brothers' hideout was located… until the Straw Hats went and pulverized it, that is.

I reach the cape by twilight, but there is no sign of Iceburg or Monkey. In fact there isn't a single ship anywhere in sight. _I'm fine with that. I'll just wait, as long as it takes. _The ground is damp and unstable, the tide having lowered enough to reveal the cape no more than an hour ago, but I am able to climb up to the highest point, and there I sit, waiting for my target to return.

For several hours I stare out through the eye-shaped holes in my mask out across the sea. The sun's rays have long since faded from the sky, steadily replaced by the silver light of the moon and the stars, the faint electric glow from the city that still has power. I have sat stalwartly, unflinching this entire time like a monument.

It is the dead of night when the ship arrives. It is massive in size, with the white and blue rowboat emblem of Galley-La displayed on the giant sails. Standing up I can spot dozens, if not hundreds of people onboard. However, I don't see any of the Straw Hats among them. _They with 'em or not? That fella better not been mistaken._ As the vessel nears the cape, the crowd onboard parts to let Iceburg approach the railing. He stands extremely proud, and even looks a bit healthier than last I saw him. We both notice each other immediately.

"Glad to see you're a man a' your word, Mr. Iceburg." I shout. "You able to rescue 'em?"

"They're all safe." Iceburg exclaims in his large, baritone voice. He turns around. "Mr. Straw Hat." He calls out to the deck. I hear someone respond, but I can't tell if it's Monkey or not. _No matter._ I inhale a deep breath of air and…

"MONKEY D. LUFFY!" I yell into the clouds, with all the might my vocal chords can summon. "I'm callin' you out!"


	27. Chapter 27

**Twenty Seven – A Battle to Shake the Earth! Aki vs. Luffy**

My proclamation of challenge booms across the air, the land, the sea. For a moment, everyone is hushed, the only sound in the area the echoing ghosts of my voice.

"Is that Squid-head!?" A voice excitedly exclaims. I recognize it easily as Monkey's. Sure enough, a moment later the Straw Hat captain appears alongside Iceburg at the ship's edge, followed shortly by select other members of his crew. "Squid-head!" Monkey shouts, waving. "Man, you missed all the fun! Where'd you go?"

"You not hear me?" I shout. Monkey looks confused. "I said I'm callin' you out, Monkey! I'm challengin' you to a fight! One on one! Right here! Right now!"

"Ehh? A fight?" Monkey hops over the railing and down onto the cape. "Come on, what do you want to fight **me** for?" He says, shrugging nonchalantly.

I growl underneath the mask. "Didn't Usopp tell you? I gave you three days before I was comin' for you!"

"Usopp?" Monkey thinks for a moment. If you can even call what goes on in that blank head of his 'thinking'. "I don't think he said anything…" _Gee, thanks a bunch, long nose. Nice to see I can count on you._ "But seriously, I don't wanna fight you, Squid-head. What gives?"

I stand up tall and point an index finger straight at him. "You forgotten already, you idiot? When we first met at Loguetown, I told you I got a score to settle with you!"

"Oooh, did you say that? Man, I can't remember! That was so long ago." Monkey whimsically replies. "So what's up? What did I do?"

I hesitate a moment. "Beat me, and I'll tell you."

Monkey cracks his knuckles and sports a grin. "Heh. Alright then, Squid-head. Let's do this."

"Luffy, wait!" Tony Tony cries from onboard Iceburg's large ship. "You're in no condition to fight right now!" Looking over Monkey, he does look a bit beat up. _Whatever. He can deal with it. I made enough excuses up until now._

"Chopper's right!" Nami has appeared and she backs the reindeer doctor up. "Aki, this can wait! Luffy's been-"

Monkey holds a palm up behind up to hush them both. "Guys, stay out of this. I don't know what I did, but if Squid-head followed us all the way to the Grand Line, then he's got a good reason for wanting to fight me."

"Well said." I say. The wind picks up, and blows a thin cloud of dust over Scrap Island. It looks like the entire crew of the Galley-La vessel has come to watch the fight. I spy the remaining Straw Hats as well, Nico with them, though Usopp seems to be missing. _I wonder if Monkey actually did do him in. _"I ain't holdin' back one bit."

Monkey nods. "That's how I like it."

I move into a sturdy fighting stance. "In that case, whenever you're ready, Monkey!"

He wastes no time, charging up the hill straight towards me. I solidify my stance, bracing for whatever attack he may throw at me. _Punch, kick – I'll see it comin', and I got the high ground here._ But then, when he is still at least a dozen paces away, he swings an arm far behind him. To my amazement, it stretches! Like a rubber band! Monkey shouts a battle cry and flings the stretched arm at me in a swift piercing attack. The moment needed to fully contemplate the attack keeps me from dodging early enough, and the flying fist connects with my elbow.

_Ow! Lucky that didn't hit nothin' important. That answers the question of what his Devil's Fruit power is. Seems a little lame, though._ Shaking the slight pain out of arm, I taunt the young captain. "That's it? That's your power?"

Monkey pulls his fist back. "That's right. I ate the Gomu Gomu Fruit. I'm a rubber man."

"So… you can stretch? And here I thought it was somethin' terrifyin' like turnin' into fire or makin' me puke up my guts or somethin'. This oughta be cake." _I say that, but he's got the advantage of bein' able to fight from a distance. But as long as he's still flesh and bone, I can combat him easy enough._

Monkey this time pulls a sandaled foot back behind him. I move into the same stance and bring my center of gravity down low, bracing for the attack. _You ain't catchin' me off-guard this time, Monkey_. Instead of sending the foot directly at me, he swings it around like a whip or a scythe to hit my left flank. I'm ready however, and simply bring my left arm up to block the attack, directly at the instep of his foot. Our limbs connect with massive force, but I've trained my arms well enough that I barely feel the impact. Not stopping there, I turn my stance counter-clockwise and bury a fist directly into his ankle, hoping to shatter the bones inside. To my dismay, my attack simply stretches his body, which then bounces back into place, completely unharmed. _Gah! Of course – he's rubber!_

Monkey pulls his foot back to him, and pauses for a moment. "It doesn't matter how strong you are; punches won't work on me." He says. _Gee thanks, I hadn't figured that out. _Monkey winds another fist back, and tried his pistol attack on me again, but I dodge it with ease, turning my body to the side, and the fists flies right by me. But I'm not stopping with just a simple dodge.

"Oi, Luffy! Watch out!" I hear Sanji shout from on deck. "He can-"

_You're too late! I already got him! _Monkey's stretched arm directly in front of me, I quickly grab hold of it with both my front tentacles and squeeze hard. Monkey gasps in surprise, and tries to pull the arm back, but I've got it completely ensnared. He then tries to simply pull himself to me, no doubt lining up a second attack, but I foresee the move and lift his trapped arm high into the air, bringing him along with it, then pull it down hard, sending him crashing face-first into the scrap.

The young captain is far from down for the count however. He hops back on his feet startled, amazed even. "That's so cool!" He exclaims. "You can move your hair around!"

I almost stagger off my feet. "You still ain't figured out this ain't hair!? Just how dense are you!?"

He isn't listening. He's all sparkles and rainbows. "Did you eat a Devil's Fruit? How does it work?" _Devil's Fruit. That's right… I __**do**__ got a huge advantage here. If I simply bring him into the sea, it'll all be over for him. But I dunno… that almost seems like cheatin' a win…_

"Whatever, you moron! Think what you want!" I'm the one leading the charge this time, crouched down low in a sprint. I can see Monkey's ready for me, but I don't know if he'll be able to predict my move. He winds up for another pistol attack, but as he throws it, I move to the side and it sails over my head. However, I do not grab the stretched arm in my tentacles, though the opportunity is ripe. I assume that's what he expects me to do. _He wouldn't throw out the same attack so carelessly knowin' I can easily counter it. _No, I dash towards him until I am no more than five feet in front of him, and lash out at him with all my tentacles at once, ensnaring his body entirely. He pulls his hand back, but it's no use – I've got him. I lift him off his feet and then slam his body down into the layer of junk, pinning him to the ground. _This'd kill a normal fella, Monkey… but you ain't normal. Let's see if this hurts you._ I leap atop him, raise my right hand up and clench all my knuckles into a leopard's paw, then bring the fist down hard directly upon Monkey's neck. As expected, the attack bounces right off him. I curse under my breath.

"I told you!" Monkey growls, almost comically considering he's entirely immobile. "Punches don't work on me!"

"Fine then!" I growl back. Loosing a tentacle from its grip around one of his legs, I draw out the barbs normally retracted in. _I hate to use these on people, but I ain't got a choice with you, Monkey._

"Luffy! Watch out!" Tony Tony shouts. "He can cut you!" I turn back for a moment to see the Straw Hats, as well as a number of the Galley-La crew, have gone ashore, presumably to watch the fight.

"Stay out of this!" Monkey shouts, struggling to break loose. "This is our duel!"

"B-But… he could kill you!" Tony Tony sobs.

"If he kills me, then I'm dead! I agreed to this, now let me fight him alone!"

His words surprise me. "Oh? I didn't expect you to say such a thing, Luffy. You changed since last we saw each other. Grown up a bit. Too little, too late, though." As soon as I raise my tentacle up to deliver the fatal strike, Monkey begins to take a deep breath. But he doesn't stop; he keeps inhaling and inhaling more and more air. He stretches his lungs to ridiculous proportions, and with it his belly swells rapidly. I struggle to keep my balance on top of him, but it's like trying to sit on a giant balloon. His limbs inflate as well, and my grip on them with my tentacles is being stretched thin. Half of them lose their hold entirely, and I struggle to regrab him. "Fine, if you're gonna turn yourself into a balloon, then I'm gonna pop you!" I raise my tentacle up again to deliver the strike that will determine the fight, but Monkey in response finally stops inhaling and instead does the exact opposite: he opens his mouth and lets the air out in a violent gust. I lose my grip entirely from the force as we both fly into the air, the two of us sent skidding across the scrap heap in different directions.

When I come to a stop, my upper half is in the ocean and my legs ashore. I take a breath through my gills but the water is disgusting, and I quickly flush it back out. Pulling myself out of the ocean, I am about to stand up when I realize... _My mask! Where'd it go? It musta fell off when I hit the ground! _I reach at my neck for my goggles and bandana, but remember I took them off when I was working with Galley-La moving things.

"Squid-head! How'd you fly all the way over here?" Monkey shouts. I immediately cover my face up with a hand. "Ah, there you are- Whoa! Your mask came off! I wanna see your face! Lemme see!" _Great. He's revitalized Operation Forget We're Havin' a Duel Here and See What Aki's Face Looks Like._ And of course, to make things even more problematic, the little audience to our fight is just off stage, watching our every move.

"Oh! Did his mask fall off?" Exclaims Sanji. "I want to see what the shitty squid looks like too!"

"Back off!" I growl, swatting at Monkey with a tentacle. "All ya'll!"

He dodges the swipe. "Oh come on… You can't fight me if you're going to cover your face up! Who cares anyway?"

"I don't need this arm to fight you! I still got eleven others!" I charge at him and unleash a barrage of attacks, punch after strike after punch, but he's having little trouble dodging them all, or simply letting them bounce off his rubber body. Distraught, I slip up for just a moment and Monkey seizes upon it, grabbing my hand by the wrist and twisting it just so that it's torn from my face.

We both freeze for a moment, but it is Monkey who breaks the ice. "Whoa! You're… you're a girl! Squid-head's a girl!" He shouts dramatically. I hear plenty of the onlookers similarly gasping in surprise. _Damn it, no! This __**ain't**__ what I needed! Not now! If it coulda just waited 'til after our fight…!_

Defensively, I try and play it off. "Well… yeah! 'Course I am! You ain't figured that out yet, you moron!?" I shout.

"Of course not!" Monkey shouts back, just as angrily. "You never said!"

"I never said otherwise! Ya'll just assumed!"

The anger in our voices is nothing however to the anger that erupts from Sanji. "LUFFY!" He yells. "You've been fighting a lady this whole time!? Calling her names like 'Squid-head'!? Unacceptable!"

"You've been calling her worse." Luffy mumbles, picking his nose nonchalantly.

Sanji is about to retaliate, but realizes he's right and grows fearful. "W-W-wait, hold on! It's like… like you said, right? He- She never told us, so it's not our fault… r-right?"

"I already knew." Says Nami.

"I figured it out on my own." Nico smiles.

Roronoa scratches his head. "I had a hunch. Her stance kinda gave it away."

Sanji falls to his knees, defeated. Tony Tony tries to cheer him up a bit, telling him he didn't know either, but the man is broken.

"Keep out a' this!" I yell. "Monkey, this ain't over yet!" I charge at him and crash an uppercut directly into his jaw. His neck stretches as his head flies up into the air, then snaps back into place.

"Man, you really fooled us, though!" He grins. I punch him again, this time directly in his solar plexus, but he just laughs it off. "You're pretty-" Punch! "-dang strong for-" Punch! "-a girl, you know-" Punch! "-that?"

I take a step back, my teeth clenched in anger, my breath heavy with rage. "If I'm so strong, then why ain't you fightin' back no more!?" I spit. "Damn it all! This is why I kept that stupid disguise! It's always like this! As soon as someone finds out I'm a woman I get this stupid pity routine! Just before I fought Sanji in Loguetown ya'll spouted the exact same crap! It makes me sick! I don't care what kinda crazy-ass gender roles ya'll grew up with; this is a duel, Monkey! There ain't no gender in battle!" I stomp up to the young captain and glare down at him. "You're such a damned disappointment. When I discovered someone put Arlong six feet under, I wondered what kind of strong and amazin' person this 'Monkey D. Luffy' could be. And what do I find? A negligent captain who risks his crew just for fun, a coward who won't stand up for what he believes in, a naïve fool who can't even cope with a simple loss, and now someone who disgraces his opponent directly to her face!" I grab Monkey by the collar and with one hand, lifting him off his feet. He doesn't struggle. Growling fiercely, I bring him up to eye level with me and shout "If you don't fight me with everythin' you got, if you go easy on me, Monkey, I **swear** I'll kill you right here and now! Where's the power that toppled Enies Lobby? That saved a kingdom? That defeated a god!? SHOW ME!"

He reaches up to his collar, grabs my wrist, and squeezes hard. Raw power is flowing from his fingertips, pinching into my nerves. "You want me to get serious?" He snarls, menacingly. I toss him down to the ground, and he lands on his feet, bent down with one fist on the ground in a strange stance.

"Luffy, no! You can't use that! Your body hasn't recovered enough!" Tony Tony cries. Monkey isn't listening. His legs move up and down in a strange motion, like a spring, like something is being pumped through them. His body convulses with each movement, and his skin turns a pinkish hue, hissing steam rising from his body. _Just what's he doin' to himself?_

Monkey raises his head, and glares up at me. "If you want to see Gear Second that badly…"

"Gear Second…? You moron! It's 'Second Gea-" Before I can finish the sentence, his fist impacts the side of my cheek with the speed of a bullet and I'm sent spiraling through the air to crash violently into a pile of scrap. _He wasn't that quick before! Just what'd he do!? _I've no time to rest however, Monkey dashes towards me with lightning speed and lands another fist in my face, knocking me down to the ground.

Staggering, I get back on my feet and spit a glob of blood and ink out. "There we go…" I say, almost laughing. "There's the fight I been lookin' forward to!" Monkey begins another charge. In an instant, he winds his fist back and sends another bullet punch at me, but I'm focused; I can see it! When his fist is right at my chest, I snatch it out of the air with a pair of tentacles. _It's hot! Whatever he did to himself, it's raised his body temperature significantly. _Keeping a tight grip on him, I lift him high into the air again. He's ready however, and counters, kicking down at the ground with tremendous speed and power. I move out of the way to dodge the attack, and his foot pierces the ground aside me, like a nail driven through wood. _Here we go! You set yourself up! This match is mine!_ With another pair of tentacles I latch onto his ankle and yank on both his outstretched limbs, pulling him down to the ground and directly into both my fists.

Impact! Monkey doesn't bounce this punch off, this one connects directly with his gut, and he felt it. _That hurt him! I can tell!_ The wind is knocked out of the young captain and I follow up with another attack, a backfist that smashes directly into the side of his face, throwing him to the ground. He coughs for a moment, drops of spit and blood.

The Straw Hat crew is stunned. "How did she do that?" Nami gasps.

"Punches shouldn't work on Luffy!" Adds Sanji.

Roronoa's arms are crossed; he's been analyzing every bit of this battle. "So she wasn't lying…" He says. The rest of the audience turns to look at him, to see what he knows. "Every dojo's heard of the Mountain Fist. No one knows if it really exists, but the legends are pretty impressive. Breaking blades with just their fingers, lifting an entire warship; they say the name came from the founder, who shattered a mountain with just one punch. I was skeptical when the squid told us she was a pupil, but… if she's able to hurt Luffy when he's supposed to be entirely immune to blunt attacks…"

I can hear him, but I'm not concentrated on it. Monkey's getting back up, staggering, but still ready to fight. "Oh? You got some vitality in you, standin' up after a blow like that." He doesn't respond to my taunts; he only glares at me. There's not an ounce of fear in his eyes, despite his greatest strength now rendered void. "There we go. Keep that look, Monkey, and let's see if you can justify it!" I take a step forward, swinging my left arm around in a hook, but Monkey blocks it with his own arm. The two connect, just as arms should – no rubber, no nonsense. He then counters with a punch of his own, a normal swing. I turn to the side and move to snatch it out of the air, but he pulls it back just as quick, and in the same motion, spins around and gets me in the temple with the same attack I just hit him with a moment ago. My head rattles for a moment, but I continue the brawl. We trade attack for attack, blow for blow, neither of us saying a word, speaking only with our fists. After a short while we can both see this is getting us nowhere and Monkey leaps back, extending the distance between us again. He throws a lightning-quick rubber punch again, but I duck down to dodge it. Instead of ensnaring the attack, I crouch down and latch all ten tentacles to the ground in a circle around me, then propel myself off the ground, leaping high into the air. Monkey looks worn out, but he still has an attack planned. Winding both his arms behind him, he takes a deep breath, then flings them up into the sky, over and over and over again, so quickly I can't even see his attacks, only gusts of wind and steam igniting the air above. Fist after fist after fist pummel me, so many so fast I can't hope to count them all; the attack is like a gush of water, and I head straight into the rapids, unflinching. I can't even feel the pain; my mind has blocked it all out. I crash onto Monkey with an overhead punch that buries itself into his chest, the impact so great the ground below us begins to give way, spewing a cloud of dust and dirt into the air.

My rush of adrenaline begins to die down, and the pain of the battle seeps its way into me. My steps become unsure and my breathing wheezy, painful. Monkey is just as worn out. His skin has returned to its normal color, and the steam has vanished. Without words, without thought, we charge one another and resume our dance of melee combat, but our attacks are sloppy, our forms lacking. There is no power, no grace left in our movement. We have been reduced to merely taking turns punching the hell out of each other, like two drunks fighting in a bar.

With one final battle cry from the both of us we put our last bit of strength, all our energy and will, into one final attack. My fist slams into his face just as his does mine, and we both fall to the ground. Sounds become muffled, my vision fades, and my thoughts collapse, until all the world around me is blackness, silence, nothing.

**-End of Volume Two-**


	28. Chapter 28

**Volume Three - The Pirate's Life**

**Twenty Eight – Of Past and Present! The End to a One-Sided Rivalry**

Someone screams, and I am pulled from a restful sleep back into the real world. I mumble some gibberish, stretch my limbs, and yawn. _I'm in a bed. A comfortable one._ Slowly I open my eyes to see a room littered with sunlight pouring in from a window. I don't care to get up. I close my eyes, and try to fall back asleep.

A little while later, unsure of whether I ever completely dozed off again, a loud crash, not unlike the sound of the Aqua Laguna smashing into the inn building jolts me awake entirely. Instinctively I sit up and look around, trying to see where the noise came from, but find nothing. I get up and move to the window, but still cannot see anything, other than that I'm on the second floor of a building in Water Seven, and it's incredibly sunny and nice outside. I'm wearing clothes I've never seen before; a pair of denim shorts and a yellow t-shirt. Both are designed for someone much shorter than I. I stop for a moment to check for wounds, but surprisingly only find a number of bruises, no cuts or apparent fractures. _How long've I been out?_

Another scream, followed by commotion, from a floor below me. This time, from a number of people. _I'd better go see just what the hell is happenin'._ Creeping about quietly, I leave the room and find a staircase. On the main floor, the Straw Hat crew is gathered, joined by a few other faces – the old lady from the train station and her granddaughter, a couple of cute girls my age with outrageous square hairdos, and a large beefy guy with neon blue hair in nothing but a Hawaiian shirt and a pair of speedos. In one of the building's walls a giant hole has been made, and standing in it is a great old bear of a man, a high-ranking Marine official with a platoon of soldiers outside. _They don't look like they're here to capture the Straw Hats, though. I wonder what's up?_

"Ah, Mr. Squid! You're finally up!" Tony Tony exclaims. Everyone turns around for a moment.

"Oi, Chopper!" Sanji says angrily. "You have to call her **Ms.** Squid from now on!" He turns to me. "A thousand apologies, miss. Had I known you were such a lovely lady, I would have never-" Sanji kneels down and reaches for my hand, but I move it out of the way and smack him in the side of the head with a tentacle.

"Back off." I groan.

"How do you feel?" Tony Tony asks. "You've been asleep for over two days."

"Two days? Well I certainly feel rested. What happened to my clothes? Whose are these?"

"Those are mine, don't mess them up." Says Nami. I freeze. _M-Madam Nami's… clothes? I'm wearin' her… Then that means… these have… Oh my god!_ I can't hold it in any longer; a gush of blood squirts from out my nostrils as I collapse to the ground in a moment of glee. "I just said don't mess them up!" Nami screams. Tony Tony gasps and begins trying to resuscitate me, but I'm too far lost in happiness.

When my daze is lifted, Monkey and Roronoa have appeared, alongside a pair of decidedly individualist marines. Their leader, the old man, is helping to patch up the hole in the building.

"Squid-head!" Monkey laughs. "You're finally up!"

"Eh?" Says the old Marine, looking back at us. "She one of yer crew?"

"Yeah! She's our naka-"

"No! I ain't!" I butt in. _I can't have the Marines thinkin' I'm a pirate!_ "Don't listen to what this idiot says! He likes to make things up in his head and pretend they're real!"

The old man laughs, a big hearty laugh that shakes the air. "You're right! My grandson does like to do that!"

"'Grandson'?" I turn to Monkey. This fella's your grandpa? A marine?"

Monkey nods. "Not just any marine, a Vice-Admiral!"

His grandfather laughs again, loving the compliment. _A pirate admirin' his marine grandfather?_ "So Luffy, I heard ya met yer old man some time ago. That true?"

Monkey looks confused, though that's not an uncommon look for him to wear. "My old man? You mean my dad?" He pauses for a moment. "I… have a dad?"

"Of course ya have a dad. Everyone does! How d'ya think ya got here?" His grandfather says, unashamedly picking his nose. "What, you mean he didn't introduce himself to you? They tell me you two crossed paths in Loguetown. Don't ya remember?"

"Loguetown…" Monkey thinks for a moment, then comes to an idea with a frightened look. "Don't tell me… Buggy!?"

Monkey's grandfather bursts into laughter. "The clown? Come on! Think a little harder than that!"

"Then… the smoking guy?"

His grandfather makes a buzzing noise. "Nice guess, but nope! One last try!"

Monkey thinks hard, putting a fist to his chin, straining his brain hard. After an awkward moment of silence, he slowly turns around and meets taxed eyes with mine.

"I ain't even male, you dumbass!" I yell.

His grandfather laughs again. "Ol' Smoker told me yer dad was the one what saved ye from him." Monkey looks like he remembers the incident. "His name's Dragon. Monkey D. Dragon!"

Everyone around us goes speechless, jaws dropped. Monkey and I seem to be the only ones who are unaffected. _Is this fella someone special?_ I hear whispers among the marines. "**That** Dragon?" "That's the first time I've heard his full name!"

Monkey turns to his crew. "Hey… guys, why is everyone so-"

"Idiot!" Shouts Sanji. "You don't know Dragon's name!?"

"Your father is an incredibly well-known, extremely dangerous person!" Nami exclaims.

Everyone is silent. Monkey looks almost embarrassed. I raise my hand and say "I ain't heard of him neither!" It doesn't seem to help.

He turns to Nico. "Hmm… How should I explain this?" She begins. "There are currently two major powers directly opposing the World Government. One of them at this very moment throughout the world is spreading its influence, encouraging countries to rebel and overthrow their monarchies. Countless countries have already fallen to them. They are called the Revolutionary Army, and the man at their center would be your father, Dragon, the most wanted man in the world."

The room is silent again, save for the metronomic thump-thump of the old man's hammer as he continues to fix the hole in the wall. With an absentmindedness almost too great to be real, he stops hammering, turns around slowly and scratches his head, saying "I… probably shouldn't have told you all that. Just… forget it, okay?" Everyone – pirate, marine, civilian, - all burst into a simultaneous cry of disbelief. _Now I see where Monkey gets his dumbass side from._

Not much later, the hole in the wall (which was apparently caused by Monkey's grandfather, because entering that way was 'much cooler') is repaired. The old marine makes it known that he doesn't plan on capturing the young captain here, on account of him being his grandson. _The Marines let you get away with stuff like that?_ The reason the old man is here in the first place was to escort a couple of Monkey's old friends who had since become Marine Sergeants. Monkey goes off with those two to talk, chat, reminisce, whatever. Tony Tony says he wants to check to see if my wounds are healing properly. I tell him I feel fine, but he insists, and he **is** a doctor after all, so I comply.

He gives me his check up in a private room. As soon as I need to lift up my shirt I realize something. "So I uh… I guess you saw the scars." I say.

"The burn scars on your back?" He asks.

Ashamedly I nod and pull Nami's small shirt off so he can check my injuries. "You could tell they was from burns, huh…?" I pause. _Guy's a better doctor than I thought… _"Do the others know?"

He stammers for a moment. "I- Well… I don't think so." He says that, but his eyes won't meet mine. _Great. Guess they all know. _"No one would care even if they did." He tries to add, but I've stopped listening to most of what he has to say other than "You're pretty much healed, though you should still take it easy."

When we return to the main room of the building Nami, Cocoro and her granddaughter, the blue-haired guy, and the two square-haired girls have disappeared somewhere. Roronoa is seated cross-legged on the floor while Nico is at a dining table, calming drinking a cup of tea. I slide into the seat next to her and scoot it over, shamelessly getting cozy.

"Miss Aki!" Sanji exclaims as soon as I enter the room, his eyes all full of hearts and love. It's sickening to look at. "Would you like some tea as well?" He sparkles.

I groan. "Yeah, fine. Whatever. Leave us alone, would you?" Sanji happily flies back to the kitchen. "He ain't very perceptive, is he?" I ask Nico, who responds only with a smile. I try to sneak a tentacle around her shoulder, but she uses her power to sprout a hand and politely keep it away. I clear my throat and pretend nothing happened. Sanji returns, kettle in hand, and pours a glass with the grace of a ballet dancer. Nonchalantly I take a sip, and find it surprisingly delicious. _Was it always this good?_

"Anyone know where Nami went?" Asks Tony Tony. "She disappeared as soon as she heard what the marines had to say."

Nico answers him. "She went to the pool with Mrs. Cocoro." I nearly spit my tea out and Sanji almost drops the kettle. "Galley-La Company has an employee pool out back. It's quite lovely."

"The pool!?" Sanji and I both exclaim.

"Madam Nami… in a swimsuit!?" I gasp. I feel like another nosebleed is coming on.

"I'll bring her something to drink!" Sanji proclaims proudly, and runs off.

"Hold it!" I shout and give chase. "**I'll** do that!"

"No, Miss Aki! I have to be the one to do it! In the name of love!" We run out of the building and into the bright, warm sun.

"Love!? No! Never! I ain't losin' to you, you smelly cook! Nami's love is mine, and mine alone!"

Sanji stops in his tracks. "Ehhh? Why would a woman love another woman?"

I stand tall over him. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Wait a minute, that's right! You… you were always flirting around with Miss Nami and Miss Robin!"

"Indeed! Is there a more beautiful thing in this world of ours than a pure love shared 'tween two maidens' hearts? I think not!"

He looks terribly conflicted. "But… but you're also a lady!…But you mean to steal Miss Nami away! But… you're a…!"

I take the opportunity to snatch the drinks away from the befuddled fool and flee. "Ryahahaha! Madam Nami's love is mine!" Sanji snaps out of his turmoil and resumes the chase. Just as we're nearing the pool, he manages to catch up and, trying to grab the drinks back, we both trip and the glasses break, the cold citrus juice they were carrying spilling everywhere, including on Madam Nami. She's apparently scolding us, but neither of us can pay attention to anything but her curvaceous figure. _Ah, Madam Nami… in a two-piece… life is truly magnificent at times!_

Sanji starts grilling up some meat and veggies on the barbecue. Wanting to get in the water more than I want a bite to eat, I hop into the pool, then sink to the bottom and lie down. All the noise from above is muffled, and the light enters the pool in curves that undulate gently with the waves. It's all rather peaceful until, above me, something massive crashes into the water. I open my eyes to see, of all things, old lady Cocoro, floating above me, and she's… a_… a mermaid!?_ Below her waist is not a pair of legs, but a pink, scaled fish's tail. I flail around for a second, pointing in shock. _B-But mermaids are s'pposed to be… gorgeous, and… and young, and…!_

"Somethin' wrong?" She says through the water, that toothy drunk grin of hers still on her face. I flail my limbs about, trying to communicate my frantic thoughts like a game of charades, but nothing's getting through. I point above us, then rise up to the surface. "Don't like talkin', young lady?" The old woman asks once we're above water.

"I didn't know you're a…!" I trail off mid-sentence. _I coulda sworn she had feet when I first saw her. Didn't she?_ I give up trying to solve that riddle. "Never mind." I say with a sigh. "And it ain't that I don't like to talk; I just can't underwater. Everyone I come across seems to think I can, but I ain't never been able to do it before."

Cocoro looks at me with a blank stare for a moment, then moves her eyes down to my midriff, below the short t-shirt. "Ah! As I thought! Ye be from the Storm Kingdom!"

"The Storm… Kingdom?" I repeat. "Are you talkin' about my birth parents? I was orphaned, so I dunno where I'm from."

She laughs that heavy drunk laugh of hers. "That explains a lot. Ye Stormies be a bit different from the rest of us; yer fishfolk are twice as strong, and yer merfolk twice as fast, but ye've lost yer ability to speak with the ocean. And a couple of dead giveaways be that ye've no hair, as well as the position of yer gills – down by yer belly instead of up at yer neck."

I ponder all this for a moment. _The 'Storm Kingdom'? Strange that I never heard of 'em before. I wonder… if I seek 'em out, is there a chance I might learn about my birth parents? That might be an interestin' meetin'._ I let myself sink deep into thought as well as deep into the bottom of the pool. The party upstairs really gets going, with all sorts of wild characters showing up – Galley-La crewmen, people from the Franky Brothers, even a pair of giants. _These Straw Hats are nuts._ I don't want to say it, even in my thoughts, but part of me will miss the silliness that comes along with traveling with them.

* * *

When I awake, after somehow falling asleep that crazy night down at the bottom of the pool, the party has ended. I swim to the surface to find many partiers fast asleep, crashed on the side of the pool, or in a chair, or wherever really. A number of the Straw Hats are with them. I decide to head back to the building Galley-La set up for us to stay at. _I didn't think to check and make sure nobody got into my stuff. I might be out of luck soon money-wise if someone stole that Devil's Fruit._

Madam Nico and Nami are the only people in the building when I arrive. I give a quick "Morning" and head upstairs in a brisk walk. After a small time searching, I find my old clothes and my leather bag in the room I had rested in, all piled in one corner. The bag looks full, but I have to be sure. Opening it up, I begin to check the contents when I notice a presence behind me, and turning around to face it, find Nami peeking in from the doorway.

Her eyes turn mischievous. "Hiding something?" She snickers seductively.

I immediately close up the bag and hide it behind me. "W-What? No. No, 'course not." A pause. "Yes. Yes, I **am** hidin' somethin'."

"Can I see?" She asks.

"Certainly, Madam! You can- I mean no! No, you can't!" _They told me she was a professional thief before she joined the Straw Hats; if she sees what I'm hoardin' in here, I'll lose it for sure!_

She gives me puppy eyes and fake tears. "You mean… you don't trust me…?"

"Of course I trust you, Madam! Here, let me show you- wait, no! No! I'm sorry, Madam, but you… you…" The words hurt to get out of my mouth, like burning tar over my tongue. "you're… schemin' somethin'!"

She swoons for a moment, certainly acted, but I fall for it regardless. "Scheming?" She gasps. "Aki! I would never! And here I thought we were friends!"

_My heart! It's being yanked right out!_ "I'm… I'm so sorry, Madam! But I can't!"

She gives up. "Fine." She says, displeased. "Give me back by clothes, then."

"Yes, Madam." I pout.

Back in my raggedy threads, I join the others down in the kitchen. The whole crew's on the scene. Galley-La brought over some doughnuts for a breakfast, and Sanji's made some coffee to go along with it that fills the room with a pleasant aroma.

"Squid-head!" Monkey exclaims, his mouth full of doughnut. "I almost forgot! We made an agreement! I beat you in that duel, so you gotta spill the beans!"

I sit down on the bottom steps of the stairway. "What are you talkin' about? It was a tie. I saw you go down just as I did."

"But I woke up first!"

_He's stretchin' it if he thinks that counts. …No pun intended. _"No deal, kid."

"Aww… but I really want to know…" He looks disappointed, saddened a little even. "At least tell me how you were able to hurt me. Grandpa's the only one I know who could get me with punches."

I lean back and make a pillow with some tentacles, ignoring him. _Couldn't tell you even if I cared to._

The newspaper arrives and the young captain's fragile attention span is stolen. The news of their deeds at Enies Lobby has been published, and I discover they all went through quite a bit after they left Water Seven. _Assaulted an entire Marine base, declared war on the World Government, burned an island to the ground. _That last bit was apparently the Marines' doing, blamed on the Straw Hats. Upon reading all of this, Roronoa says with a grin that he bets their bounties will go up as a result.

Tony Tony's eyes turn to sparkles. "Will I also get a bounty on my head?" He says, enamored with the idea.

"That's very probable," Says Sanji, "but the most terrible will certainly be me! I can see it now: 'A Big Star Appears! Black Leg Sanji!'" He's lost in his own fantasizing. _What's so great about havin' a bounty? All it means is it's harder for you to move about. It ain't seriously a thing of pride, is it? Are pirates that self-centered?_ Madam Nami seems to agree with me, as she tells the two off for being idiots.

Once the morning shenanigans are over with everyone heads out into the city; Monkey and Tony Tony leave together, Sanji heads to the food markets, and Nami and Nico go clothes shopping. Roronoa says he wants to find a weapons shop, and I tell him I'll come with, out of boredom. I was sure he was going to say he'd prefer to go alone, but he doesn't. I find my hat, rest it comfortably over my head and head out with him into the city proper.

On our way to the nearest market ward I learn why he didn't say anything. This man, even when following directly behind me, manages to get himself lost. One second he'll be at my side, then the next he'll have turned a corner when I'll keep on going straight, and I have to assure him I know where I'm going. He must certainly be aware that he has no sense of direction whatsoever; he just doesn't want to admit it. _I hope._

After an hour of this nonsense, we happen across a store that sells all sorts of weapons and armaments. I dance around the idea of coming in with him, but there really isn't anything of interest to me in there, and the smell of metal puts me off, so instead I simply decide to wander around the market district for a bit. The growling of my stomach brings me to a street that smells particularly delicious, and when I arrive, I find all manner of restaurants awaiting me – in buildings, on patios, even floating gondolas resting by the edges of the sidewalks have been transformed into stalls for cooks to sell their skill. I look in my wallet to check on my funds. _Should last me about a week. S'ppose I'll be sellin' off that Devil's Fruit pretty soon. _My belly grumbles at me again, making its impatience known. "Oh, shut your trap, stomach!" I say out loud. "I'll get you somethin', don't worry! But it's gonna be a very particular somethin'." Searching around, I find just the stall I'm looking for and after a short wait, enjoy a very generous sample of grilled shrimp.

An hour or so later spent basking in the sun while happily digesting, a voice wakes me up from the nap I've nearly fallen into.

"Ms. Sinagra, fancy coming across you." Nico says. I open my eyes to spy her and Madam Nami casually walking down the sidewalk, approaching me with a couple of bags in hand.

"Aki, what are you doing out here?" Nami asks.

"Absolutely nothin', Madam, and it's wonderful." I smile. "Care to join?"

She politely declines. "Where Zoro? I thought you left with him?"

"Roronoa? Who knows. 'Lost him a couple hours ago." I notice Nico's smile grow just the tiniest bit larger. "So what are you two lovely madams up to? Clothes shoppin'?"

Nami nods, lifting up the bag for a moment. She then half-gasps. "That's right! You don't have any other clothes, do you, Aki?"

I avert my gaze a bit, slightly embarrassed. "I uh… well, no."

"Well let's go then! Let's find something for you!"

I begin to stutter. "M-Madam, I do appreciate the offer, really! But, I'll be fine. I can make my own-"

"I think it'll be fun, don't you?" Nico smiles, ignoring my pleas. _Not you too!_

"Oh come on. We'll help you find something, so it doesn't matter if you have the fashion sense of a bug." Says Nami.

_That… ain't the issue here._ "I ain't gettin' out of this, am I?" I cringe. They make it known I'm not and drag me to my feet.

After an embarrassing ordeal at a clothing outlet I am **not**, and will **never** speak of to anyone, I make it out alive… somehow, and with only one outfit, as opposed to what Madam Nami and Nico would have preferred.

"You're a pretty boring shopper, you know that?" Sighs Nami as we walk through the late afternoon air, back to the Galley-La building.

"Function over form, Madam." I reply. "Concealin' my identity comes first."

"Still, just a shirt and khaki pants?" She grumbles.

I shrug. "I don't like to buy clothes if I don't need to. When I was in the dojo we was required to make our own clothin' from scratch."

"I believe what Ms. Navigator is trying to tell you is she wants you to act more feminine." Madam Nico states.

"Oh? Is that true, Madam Nami? Is that the path to your heart? If so, then I shall henceforth endeavor to…!" That sentence is cut short with a heeled sandal stomping on my foot.

* * *

That night Roronoa and Monkey get into an argument.

"Luffy," Roronoa says gravely, "if you're going to let that guy back into the crew, **he** has to be the one to apologize."

"But Zoro, he's our nakama!" Monkey pleads.

"Even if that is true, you're his captain! We're heading into the New World, Luffy! Don't think we'll survive in a place like that with the whimsical attitude you've had all the way here! If the captain isn't even respected by his own crew, then the pirates of that sea will eat him alive!" Monkey doesn't want to admit it, but he's right.

"Who're they talkin' about?" I ask the others.

"Usopp." Answers Sanji.

"Eh? Usopp? I thought he lost the duel. He's still alive?"

"Of course he's still alive!" Monkey exclaims. "I'm not going to kill my nakama!"

_Pff. Some duel, then. _I think for a moment. "Monkey." I say out loud. "Your first mate's right. It's a miracle ya'll survived as long as you did on the Grand Line. One a' your crewmates almost died 'cause of somethin' as simple as you being foolish enough not to bring a doctor on board."

Sanji gasps. "Now I remember where I saw you, Miss Aki! Drum Island! You were the fishwoman in the castle!"

"Congratulations, detective." I respond dryly. "Anyway Monkey, you need to start actin' like a real captain and take some authority. If you keep up this happy-go-lucky lifestyle, it's only a matter of time before someone dear to you is lost, and you ain't gonna be able to get 'em back." A looming silence fills the room for a moment. "Well, not like I care, really. I ain't comin' with you."

Several of the Straw Hats gasp. "Ehh, why not?" Monkey whines.

"Our story together ended with our fight, Monkey. I ain't got business with you no more."

"But you're our nakama too!"

I stand up, and make my way towards the stairs. "Kid, I don't even know the meanin' of the word."


	29. Chapter 29

**Twenty Nine – Change of Plans? Leaving the City of Water**

The next morning, Nami's Log Pose has set itself to the next island. Cocoro is here as well, letting the Straw Hats know the ship Franky was building for them is apparently nearing completion.

"This is good-bye, then." I say. "Ya'll have fun in your travels."

"Ye sure about that?" Cocoro replies.

"What? Course I'm sure. I got my own things I need to do. I can't be hangin' out with 'em forever."

"But, Mr. Squid…!" Tony Tony pleads. "Can't you come with us and still do what you have to do?"

"Chopper's right, Miss Aki!" Says Sanji. "It would break my heart to see such a lovely lady leave!" _No tears shed on this side, that's for damn sure._

"Look, I appreciate the offer, but I ain't fixin' to be a pirate. Was once – never again."

"You might change your mind when you hear what the next island these guys be goin' to is." Cocoro grins.

Nami looks at her Log. "It's pointing down a little. What's that mean?"

The old mermaid laughs. "That means ye be going to the bottom of the sea, to Fishman Island!" _Fishman Island? I heard of that place! That's where both merfolk and fishfolk come from, ain't it? Then… wait a sec... there's a good chance that I'll find __**them**__ there as well!_

Nami rests her cheek in a hand and sighs. "How complicated…"

Everyone else is silent for a moment, either not caring much for the name, or surprised, except for Sanji, who's nearly foaming at the mouth. "F-Fishman Island? I've… I've always wanted to go there! It's such a famous landmark on the Grand Line!" _Now why would **you** be so excited…? Unless…_

"Mermaids!" I shout without thinking.

"Exactly! You understand, Miss Aki! The most wondrous creatures of the sea, all the beautiful mermaids make their home there in Fishman Island!"

"Sanji!" I gasp. "Is that true…? Are they really… that gorgeous?"

"They are, they are!"

A short, haughty laugh from Cocoro. Sanji and I both turn around slowly, take a look at her old wrinkly face, and our fantasies are momentarily shattered.

"We… we can dream, can't we, Miss Aki?"

"I think… I think that's all we got left…" I respond, just as shattered.

Cocoro ignores us. "Gettin' there ain't so easy, though."

"I **am** a bit worried about this 'bottom of the sea' concept." Comments Madam Nico, from the dining room table.

"The problem ain't there…" Cocoro says with a grin, pulling out today's newspaper and tossing it to the table. "Take a look at the front page."

Madam Nami takes the paper, opens it up. "'Once again this month,'" She reads, "fourteen ships have disappeared.' What's this supposed to mean?"

"It be a section of ocean called the Florian Triangle." Cocoro explains. "Every year over a hundred ships disappear in that sea for unknown reasons. And then… the ships mysteriously reappear, years later, with nary a soul aboard. Some even say they've seen ghost ships wander'ng the triangle, harbingers of death! And you lot have to go straight through it to get to Fishman Island."

Tony Tony shrieks. Monkey looks excited. "Ghosts!? Will we see skeletons and stuff?" He exclaims.

"Who knows…" Says Cocoro. _Sounds like just a scary story told to keep kids up if you ask me. _Regardless, it's still thoroughly spooked Nami and Tony Tony.

The front door bursts open, and standing in it is Cocoro's granddaughter and the two cute square-haired girls from the other day. They all collapse to their knees, out of breath.

"What's up?" Monkey asks. "You look beat."

One of the square girls replies. "Boss Franky told us to come and call for everyone!"

"The dream ship is complete!" Says the other.

The Straw Hats cheer. "Alright!" Exclaims Monkey. "Let's go see it!"

Just then, more visitors arrive. A motley crew of men in ridiculous attire run up towards the building, all with worried expressions on their faces. "Straw Hats!" The man in front, a fat fellow with spiky black hair and a bandage around his forehead exclaims. "Big news!"

Monkey picks his nose. "You guys too? What is it?"

"Take a look at this! The lot of you got some impressive bounties!" _They can't mean me too… right?_ The spiky haired man doles out the new wanted posters for everyone to see. Monkey, Roronoa and Madam Nico, who already had bounties, went up, Monkey's by quite a bit. Nami's dread came true: the last thing she wanted was a bounty, and now she has one, of a cool sixteen million Berries. She even has a title: "Burglar Cat Nami". I think it sounds kinda cool, but I wouldn't dare say tell her that. Sanji and Tony Tony, who were both so excited to have a bounty however, are both horribly disappointed. The World Government mistook Tony Tony for a pet and gave him a bounty of only fifty Berries, and Sanji, albeit recognized, didn't have a photo taken, instead only an extremely crude (and butt-ugly) drawing of his face.

"There's one for Sogeking, too!" Monkey points out. _Musta been some fella they met at Enies Lobby._

The problem however, the reason these men came all the way here, was that their boss, Franky, had a bounty placed on his head as well, and thus can no longer stay in Water Seven. "Please, Mr. Straw Hat!" The man pleads. "Even if it's against his will, take the Boss out to sea with you! The man was the son of a pirate to begin with!"

Monkey lowers his hat and laughs. "You don't need to say a thing. I've already decided he's going to be my shipwright!"

The man is overjoyed to hear that. "Really? You mean it?" He turns to the rest of the crew. "Is that fine with the rest of you as well?" Sanji and Tony Tony are too in shock to respond. Nami can only give a tiny "Sure…" Roronoa and Madam Nico are just fine with the proposition.

The Franky Brothers having achieved what they came for, they bid the Straw Hats a happy good-bye and leave. "Wait, where are you going?" One of the square girls asks. "Scrap Island is the other way!"

The leader of the group shudders for a moment. "Mozu, Kiwi – sorry… but we've got to do something… unusual. It's… better if you don't know about it." He says forebodingly.

The Straw Hats begin packing their things, and I approach Monkey with an uneasy tension in me. _Alright, you only got one chance, Aki. Make it smooth._ "Monkey!" I hail, trying to sound casual, but failing.

The young captain turns away from his backpack (_stuffed with… meat?_). "What is it, Squid-head?"

I trip over my words for a moment. "Well… that is…" I go for a long shot, "you know I wasn't **really** serious when I said I was leavin' ya'll, right?" Blank faces from all of them. "Err… what I meant to say is I…" They all sting me with their silence, their stares. I sigh. "Monkey, you're headin' to Fishman Island next, right? In that case, may I continue to ride with your crew?" I ask politely.

For a moment, he looks like he's about to respond with a smile and an "Of course, man!" but Roronoa stops him. "Hold it." Everyone turns to him. "What happened to those tough words from yesterday?" I cringe. "You fought against the captain. If you want to get back on his ship you need to get on your hands and knees and beg."

"Oi, you marimo bastard!" Yells Sanji. "If the lady wishes to-"

"Sanji, shut up." I interrupt. I bite my lower lip in uneasiness. "He's right." With a bit of exertion on my part, I ashamedly lower myself to a prostrate position, hands and knees on the ground and my head lowered to the floor. "Monkey D. Luffy," I say, sweat beading off my forehead. "I… will you…?"

Monkey grins mischieviously. "Yeeees?" He drags out the word, stretching one of his rubber ears out at me. "Will I… what?"

"Will you let… Will you… That is…"

"Not as easy as it sounds, is it?" Roronoa sneers.

"I don't see what the big deal is." Monkey says, scratching his scalp. "Nakama help each other out. So just ask me for help!" As easy as it should be, I can't get the words out. I just can't submit myself to a blind trust in him. Not after everything that's happened to me in the past. Monkey sits on his heels in front of me and snatching my head up, grabs my cheeks and makes me mouth out, with him providing a silly falsetto voice, "Help me, Luffy! I need a ride to Fishman-"

I smack his hands to the side mid-sentence and about to lash out at him, but everyone's burst out in laughter. I growl under my breath for a moment, then give up with a sigh. "Okay!" Monkey exclaims. Since you asked, Squid-head, come on board! To Fishman Island!" _Whatever. As long as I'm on the way there, that's… that's all that matters._

Once we've all gathering our belongings we open the doors outside where Cocoro, her granddaughter, and the square girls are awaiting us. Sanji doesn't seem to be moving from a slumped position on the ground. "Just forget about the curly guy." Roronoa grins.

"Oh come on, Mr. Swordsman, you at least like his food, right?" Smiles Nico.

Roronoa sighs. "Fine. Squid, pick him up and let's get moving."

_What, am I the pack mule now?_ I look down at the pathetic mess of a man, staring with the eyes of a remorseful ghost at his horrid wanted poster. I wrap a couple tentacles around his waist and heave him up over my shoulder. He doesn't move, like a corpse, or a giant noodle. _Gross._ Not particularly caring if anyone got his stuff or not, I carry him outside, where Cocoro's granddaughter is saying a tearful farewell to the Straw Hats.

The old mermaid takes a swig of her drink. "Ye be careful sailn' now!" She says. "And Stormie!"

I look her way. "Me?"

"If ye come across an ol' fella at Fishman Island named Den, tell him Cocoro sends her regards, would ye?"

I nod with a smile. "Sure thing!"

My voice wakes Sanji from his trance of depression. "M-Miss Aki! You've finally chosen to embrace me?" He exclaims, his woes miraculously melted away. I throw him into a fence.

* * *

We stroll through the city to Scrap Island, taking in the sights of the city one last time before we leave it. The mood is anxious, everyone eager to see their new ship. I have to admit even I'm wondering what it looks like. Even those that were less than pleased to discover their new bounty posters have adopted a merry mood.

"So why do you and your father have the same first name, but different last names?" I ask Monkey, having been curious for a while now.

Monkey cocks his head to the side in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean?"

_Do I really have to spell it out for this kid?_ "Your name is Monkey D. Luffy, and your old man's was Monkey D. Dragon, right? Are ya'll not related by blood?"

Monkey still doesn't seem to understand. Nami answers for him. "Monkey is his family name, of course. Didn't you know that?"

_Their what? _"But then why is it first? Ain't it s'pposed to be Luffy D. Monkey then?"

"Of course not." Continues Nami. "Surnames are always first. Isn't your family's name Aki?"

I take a moment before responding. "You're serious, Madam? No, Sinagra's the name of my foster parents. Aki's the name they gave me.' I pause, and turn back to Monkey. "So, you mean… I should be callin' you… Luffy? And… Zoro? Chopper? Madam… Robin?" An unsettling silence. "No. Those just sound **too** weird." _How queer. Is it only from my neck of the woods that the names ain't reversed?_ A strange discovery, but I set it aside for the time being, and continue on with them to Scrap Island.

When we reach the smelly place, there is something massive concealed underneath a gigantic beige tarp sitting on the edge of the island.

"Is… is that it!? It's huge!" Exclaims Monkey. "Oi, Franky! We're here! Show us the ship!"

Instead of Franky, Iceburg greets us. "He's not here unfortunately. However, the ship **is** complete. I'll show you in his place." He walks over towards the tarp. Everyone is excited to see the creation. I can even feel my own heart fluttering inside my chest. "This ship truly is something. I was shocked when I first saw the blueprints; if any ship can sail the entire sea, it's this one.

Monkey looks like he's about to explode. "Show us! Show us! Show us!" He and Tony Tony both chant.

"This is a message from Franky." Iceburg says, grabbing ahold of the cloth and pulling it off. " 'If you're going to be the King of Pirates, Luffy, then this King of Beasts will be your vessel!' " The giant tarp is removed and underneath is a beauty of a ship. About twice the size of the Going Merry, it is a masterpiece of craftsmanship. The ship is painted red, white and brown, with a large lion's head adorning the bow, and on the side of the vessel is painted a large red number '1'. There are two crow's nests, one atop the mast and another on the stern, and from what I can see on the deck, there looks almost like a tiny house has been fitted onto the ship. The white sails are furled, but I can spy the top of the Straw Hats' emblem painted on.

Everyone is enthralled. Monkey can't get over how big it is, Nami loves the design, Sanji wants to see the kitchen, Tony Tony can't believe they would give them such a grand ship, and Roronoa and I are quietly admiring it.

"What a splendid ship!" Says Madam Nico. "I wonder what kind of flower that is on the bow."

Iceburg stammers for a moment. "I was… sure it was a sun…"

The others have all hopped on board. I join them, and am surprised to find the deck is actually a lawn. _Neat! __How'd he manage that one? Is that real grass?_

"Mr. Squid!" I hear Tony Tony exclaim. "There's an aquarium down here!" I run below deck to see, and sure enough, there's a room down here with an aquarium on the opposite side of a large glass wall. "You've got a place to stay too! See?"

"Little guy, I think this was meant for fish…" I laugh. _Although, it's large enough, you might could keep a damn shark in there if you wanted._

Monkey calls Tony Tony back up above deck, so I look around a bit more. I'm amazed at just how much work was put into building this vessel. Everything has been ornately constructed, from the ship as a whole right down to the engravings made on the railings of the staircases. _How in the world did this Franky character build this so quickly?_

Not much longer, I hear a bit of commotion coming from up above deck, so I go to see what it is, and find all the Straw Hats, minus Sanji and Roronoa, looking out on the city, where, at the border of Scrap Island and the city proper, a large mob of Water Seven citizens, angry about something, have gathered.

"What do you think you're doing!?" Someone shouts. "Pervert!" Another exclaims. A figure stands between us and the crowd. I squint to get a better look at him, but immediately regret doing so. The large man with wild, neon-blue hair from before is standing there, and just so happens to be wearing absolutely nothing below the waist. A very revolting sight, what with all of his manly apparatus left dangling there for all to see.

I shriek and avert my eyes. "Nobody wants to see that! I don't want to see that!"

The man raises his sunglasses. "Straw Hat!" He yells. "Give me back my pants already!"

I glance at Monkey, who's got a pair of speedos in his hand. "Become our nakama, and I will!" _Monkey, that's_…_! Don't you know what those touched!?_

"Moron!" The revealing man yells back. "Don't think that just because you've made me the town pervert that I'll leave this place!"

"Mr. Captain." Comes Nico's calm voice. "I might get a little rough, but do you mind if I give you a hand or two in convincing him?"

Monkey rubs his chin in thought. "Hmm… Ice Guy did say we might have to use force to get him to come." _Why would you want this fella anyway? What's wrong with you!?_

Madam Nico smiles, almost sadistically. "In that case…" She crosses her arms in front of her like she always does when using her Devil's Fruit power, and looks out at the man, standing there exposed. I'm curious as to what she's doing, but don't want to stomach looking out there on that gruesome sight again. Just then, a horrible scream of pain echoes across the area, radiating from the large man like a grotesque siren. Nico's hands are clenched tight in fists.

"Robin!" Nami exclaims. "W-wait a sec! That's too far, isn't it!?"

"She… she grabbed them!" Monkey cries.

_Grabbed them? Grabbed what?_ I peek out onto the cape again, and between the man's legs, two of Nico's arms have sprouted out and have grabbed a tight hold of the guy's…

I shriek again, not for the man, but for poor Nico. "M-Madam! How can you…!? That's… that's so…!" I scream a terribly girlish scream of terror. The man too is emitting unearthly howls of pain and agony, and everyone is in total horror at the sight.

"It hurts just to look!" Tony Tony cries.

"Oi, Robin! I want him to still be a man when he becomes our nakama!" Monkey pleads. "Don't take them!"

"I'm a pirate." Says Madam Nico. "If I have a treasure in my hands and you tell me to give them up, you'd better have a good reason. Otherwise, I'm not letting go, you see." _How can she be so calm? She… she can't feel them, right? Oh please say you can't, Madam!_

He gives in and whimpers "I… I got it! I got it! I'll… I'll come!" Nico smiles, and lets go. The man breathes a sigh of relief, as does Monkey who then throws the speedos out to him. He catches them, and with a quick change in demeanor to that of great pride, exclaims "Alright, you crazy ass pirates! From this point on you shipwright is none other than me, the SUPER Franky!"

_That's him!? That's the fella what built this amazin' ship? No way!_ Monkey and Tony Tony burst into cheer and the two square girls into tears. All of this however, is quickly cut short by Roronoa and Sanji coming onto the scene. "Luffy! We've got to hurry and get out of here!" Sanji exclaims.

"Your grandfather is on the opposite side of the island, making preparations to attack!" Says Roronoa.

"Ehhh? Grandpa? He said he was gonna leave us alone!" Whines Monkey. "Well then I guess we're going! Franky! Hurry up and get onboard! We're off! Robin!" Nico nods, and uses her Devil's Fruit power to sprout a couple of arms up on the mast and unfurl the sails.

Once everyone is aboard and we've begun to move out into the sea a decent distance, Nami begins to protest. "Luffy, hold on a minute!"

"You sure about this, Straw Hat?" Says Nico. "We're still waiting for someone, aren't we?"

"I **have** waited!" Monkey responds. He's sitting down on a bench on the lawn deck, hands behind his head, one leg resting on top of the other, pretending to look relaxed, but anyone can tell he's nervous as hell. "Ever since Sanji told me he was coming! B-But we waited for him the entire time and he didn't come! S-So… that's th-that, then! Right?" Monkey tries to laugh off his fear.

Two loud explosions off the side of the ship disrupt the uneasy mood. Water splashes high into the air and sprinkles down upon us. Everyone jolts up to see what happened, and finds far off starboard a Marine ship circling around the edge of the city, approaching us steadily. "Grandpa!?" Monkey exclaims.

A voice, through a loudspeaker, travels through the air. "Oi, Luffy! Can you hear me? Grandpa here! Sorry to say it like this, but… you're going to die here in this sea!" _How can a grandfather say somethin' like that to his kid?_

"Ya'll got somethin' planned to escape, right?" I say, a bit fretful. No one answers.

"There's no apology I can give you," Monkey's grandfather continues, "but at least I'll be the one to finish you off, okay?" I squint out at the ship, and the large, old man atop the figurehead takes a cannonball in one hand, and to my surprise, lobs it towards us with the speed of an actual cannon! The projectile just barely misses the ship, exploding and sending smoke and ash everywhere.

"H-He just shot a cannonball at us with his bare hands!" Sanji gasps.

"We don't have a choice!" Nami shouts. "We have to escape!" We continue on at full speed, but the Marine ship is closing in on our starboard quickly.

Tony Tony lights up. "He's here!"

"Grandpa?" I shout.

"No, Usopp! Usopp came! His scent is here!" There's no time to celebrate however. Cannonball after cannonball is flying past us, and it's taking every bit of our power to keep them from damaging the ship. Monkey is bouncing them back, Roronoa is slicing them apart, and Sanji and I are catching them in the air when we can and averting their path. It isn't easy in the slightest; the speed at which they're flying is tremendous, and I have to keep a sharp eye to spot them out of the air.

"Tentacles, watch out!" Franky shouts at me. He spreads his feet apart in a stance like he's bracing for a huge impact, and lifts both of his beefy hands in the air. To my surprise, one of them bends backwards, like it's on a hinge, leaving a hole leading into his arm! Then, a cannonball of his own fires from the hole and collides with one of the old Marine's resulting in a loud explosion nearby.

I've no time to ponder just what the hell this guy is (though I **am** curious). Shoving the inquisitiveness in the back of my head for later, I continue helping the others protect the ship. I glance back to Scrap Island for a moment. Sure enough, there Usopp is, screaming his heart out, trying to get our attention, thinking his crew has forgotten all about him. Everyone pretends not to hear, as hard as it is for them to do.

Eventually he gets it. Broken down into tears, he yells into the air "I'm sorry!" Monkey stops, ignoring the cannonballs. "I'm sorry for my stubbornness! I get it! I was wrong!" Tears are streaming down Usopp's face. "I know I said I was leaving the crew! I… I wish I could take it back, I so do! But I can't, so I'm begging you please – let me sail with you again!" I glance at Monkey; he's taking it much calmer and dignified than I thought he would. "Please Monkey, just one more time, let me be your nakama!"

Upon the utterance of that word of the pirates, Monkey immediately throws out a rubber arm towards the shore. "You idiot!" Monkey yells, his face burst into similar quantities of tears, pouring out of his eyes like a waterfall. _Never mind, I take back that thing about calm and dignified. You ain't never gonna change, Monkey._ "Hurry up and grab on!" The young captain pulls Usopp across the expanse of water and onto the ship, where the two collide with one another and fall to the ground in happiness, looking not unlike two peas in a pod, separated but finally reunited as they should be.

Everyone else laughs. "You two look so pitiful!" Nami says in fun.

"I couldn't have said it better myself, Madam."I remark.

"Alright!" Monkey shouts, getting up and wiping the tears from his eyes. "We're all together, so let's get the hell out of here!"

Everyone responds with a jubilant "Aye aye!" save for Franky who exclaims happily "I thought you'd never say the words, Straw Hat!" He points to Roronoa and I. "You two, hurry up and furl the sails!"

"Furl them?" I say. "Why would we do that? Ain't we gonna escape?"

"You sure about this, Franky?" Roronoa adds.

" 'You sure about this, Franky?' " He repeats, mockingly. "You idiots! You gotta trust this ship! And the one who built it! Now furl the sails!" We comply, and climb up the mast.

Once we've got the sails completely tied up, we find the rate of fire from Monkey's grandfather to have slowed down a bit. _He must be wonderin' what we're up to. Trust me Grandpa, you ain't the only one. _"All good up here!" Roronoa shouts. The two of us hop back down to the deck. "Now hurry up and do whatever it is you're going to do or the warship will catch up with us."

"Not yet." Says Franky. "We haven't named the ship yet."

"Named!?" Yells Sanji as he deflects another cannonball. "We've got more important things to worry about here!"

"A ship without a name won't sail anywhere!" Franky yells back.

Monkey raises his hand. "I just thought of an awesome name! The Lion! The 'Polar Bear Lion'!"

"That's too weird a name for a ship!" Says Usopp, smacking his captain's cheek. _Weren't you just in apologetic tears earlier?_

"Then the 'Tiger Wolf Lion'!" Usopp smacks him again.

"'Lion' is good," Franky calmly says amidst the sound of cannonball explosions, "even though those idiots at Galley-La didn't get that that's what the figurehead is supposed to be. That Idiotburg did say something that stuck with me though. 'This is the ship for the future Pirate King.' He said. 'A ship as bright as the sun that will overcome a thousand seas!'" He raises his sunglasses for a moment. "So how about we name her The Thousand Sunny?"

"Oooh, yeah!" Monkey cheers.

"That's a great name!" Agrees Tony Tony.

"Better than the 'Lionel Master' name I thought of." Says Roronoa.

"And my 'Being of Darkness'…" adds Nico.

Sanji rubs his chin. "Or my 'Monsieur Sunflower'."

"Have you all lost your minds!?" Yells Usopp, before I can add "Better than my 'Avenger's Arc'."

"Right then!" Shouts Franky. "Time to unleash my SUPER secret weapon I prepared for just such an occasion! Take one last look at this beautiful water metropolis behind us because in mere moments you won't even be able to see its shadow!"

_How's that possible? What you got planned, pervert?_ While Franky goes down below deck, Monkey hops up on the stern's railing and inhales a deep breath. "Grandpa!" He yells at the top of his lungs. The cannonballs stop. "And Coby! And… that other guy!" I hear the faint sounds of someone screaming curses from aboard the Marine warship. "I'm glad I had the chance to see you all again after such a long time! Let's meet again soon!" _You're awful kind considerin' they're tryin' to kill you, Monkey._

The next thing I know, we're gone. Flying through the air at an incredible speed, a blast of white light bursts forth from the back of the ship, propelling us.

"We're… we're flying!" Shout Tony Tony.

"This is just like that one time…" Gasps Usopp. "Back on the Knock-Up Stream!"

"I still ain't forgived ya'll for that!" I yell.

"Well you should've asked for help, man!" Monkey laughs, sticking out his tongue at me. I merely grumble inresponse.

After a short time the ship lands, at least a mile from where we took off. Franky was right – one could barely see the island of Water Seven from here.

Monkey steps forward and cries triumphantly. "Full speed onward! To Fishman Island!"

_Fishman Island… That's right, __**that's**__ where you you'll be, ain't it? Your buddy Arlong's pushin' up daisies. I wonder if you know you're next. You may not know me, but I'll __**never**__ forget you._


	30. Chapter 30

**Thirty – That Burning Desire! A Nonsensical Interlude**

This wonder of a ship sails like a dream, though I find myself curious as to how well it'll hold up in a storm. We've been sailing for almost two weeks now, but have yet only seen relatively calm seas. Not that I'm complaining or anything, I guess I just bore easily.

Franky, I find out, is something called a cyborg, some kind of half-human half-machine creature. I've never heard the term before, but he tells me that after a freak accident that nearly claimed his life he was forced to reconstruct the front of his body with mechanical parts. Underneath his skin is iron plating, he has weapons stored in his hands and arms, and all these devices are powered by soda (of all things). At thirty four years old, he's older than everyone in the crew (Madam Nico being the closest at twenty-eight), but he's not in the least the wisest; he fits in with the idiots of the Straw Hats like they were a long lost family. He's always willing to go along with most of Monkey's and Usopp's crazy ideas, and often posits some of his own. And speaking of crazy ideas…

"Just what're you up to?" I ask Sanji, who's trying to climb up to one of the windows. My initial assumption about there being two crow's nests was incorrect. The second domed construction, located at the back of the ship overlooking the stern, is two-storied: the bottom floor containing a library and the top floor a bathhouse. Sanji is attempting to reach a second story window – the only window that looks inside the bathhouse.

Sanji looks down, puts a finger to his lips and quietly shushes me. "Miss Aki, don't be so loud, please! Miss Nami and Miss Robin are both in there right now!"

I gasp. "Both of them? In the…?" I feel my blood pressure rise, and a slight stinging sensation wells in my nose. "Well, well! Don't mind if I do!" I make to casually stroll into the bathhouse, but Sanji raises a hand to stop me.

"W-wait, Miss! You can't just walk in-!"

"Ryahahaha! You certainly can't, but I can!" I laugh again, and put a hand to my cheek. "The two Madams bathing together… Ah! What a sight!" Despite Sanji's conflicted protests I walk inside to the library, where the ladder leading up to the bathhouse is located. Upstairs I can hear Nami and Nico conversing among one other, and my heart begins beating faster, my head getting heavy.

A startled voice rings out. "Who's there!?" Exclaims Nami in a demanding tone.

"Only I, Madam!" I reply, climbing up the ladder. "Just comin' up for a quick soak, that's all."

I hear Nami grumble. "Somehow I get the feeling that's not all you're up here for…"

"Oh, don't be so hard on her." Nico kindly says.

"Madam Nico, you understand!" I exclaim. "I would never… uh… never…" All my attention is instantly stolen away from me upon reaching the top of the ladder and entering the warm room. Though they are partially obscured by the thick steam, lounging in the massive tub are the two women, their luxurious hair wet, clinging to their soft skin glistening, luxurious… moist… completely… completely…

_Topless!_ I can't hold it back any longer; a fountain of blood sprays from my nose, splatters all over the tile flooring, and splashes into the tub.

"I knew it!" Madami Nami shrieks. "Out, you pervert!" She chucks a washpail at me and it lands square in the middle of my forehead, knocking me backwards and back down the ladder-hole into the library where I crash with a thud. I then hear the ceiling door slam shut, followed by a string of explicitives.

Tissue paper jammed up each nostril, I make my way outside where an anxious Sanji awaits. "You! What was all that noise?" He shouts. "If you did anything to Miss Nami or Miss Robin, I'll never forgive you! Even if you are yourself a… a…"

I've got a dumb smile stuck on my face; I'm not even really listening to him. "A lady… yeah…" I say in a sigh of happiness. "There was ladies up there… Beautiful… ladies…" I lean against the wall and slump down to a sitting position.

Sanji shrieks. "Y-you saw!?"

"Almost…" I mumble whimsically. "Almost is good enough."

"Almost!? I can't accept almost! A man either goes all the way or dies trying!"

"Well, I ain't a man, so-"

"But you have that same burning desire in you as well, don't you Miss Aki? The unquenchable thirst to glimpse the soft, uncovered skin of a woman?"

His words instill vigor in me. I stand up swiftly, popping the tissues out of my nose. "Yes! Yes, you're right! What was I thinkin', givin' up when the prize is right before me?"

"Good!" Exclaims Sanji. "Then lift me up to the window!"

"What!?" I yell. "Why me?" I think up a quick line. "Surely, Monsieur," I say, lowering my voice in a sarcastic tone, "you wouldn't stand atop a woman, would you?"

Sanji stammers. "I… I uh… no! Not at all, Miss Aki! That's not what I meant…!"

"Then **you'll** lift **me** up to the window instead, won't you?"

"Yes, yes! Of course!" _Too easy._ _I don't even need his help in climbin' up here; it's just fun tormentin' the stupid bastard._ He leans down on one knee and I step up onto his hands. Slowly he lifts me up. With apprehension, I approach the window with my eyes. _It's too fogged up. I can't see nothin'!_ I try wiping a corner off with a tentacle but no luck; the condensation's on the inside. "Can you see anything, Miss Aki?" Sanji whispers.

"Not a thing, the window's too fogged up." I whisper back.

"Heeeey!" Comes Monkey's loud and obnoxious voice. "What are you guys doing?" He exclaims. Sanji and I both shush him. "Eh? What? Why are you telling me to be quiet?"

"You idiot! They'll hear!"

"Who'll here? What's going on?"

Just then, the door to inside flies open, and out storms Nami wrapped in a towel, fury and hellfire in her eyes.

* * *

"I don't see why I got punished too." Monkey whines through a fat lip.

Sanji berates him. "Just shut up and deal with it." He says.

"Damn it," I curse, rubbing the swollen bump on my forehead, "we was so close!" I turn to Sanji, whos cheek is bruised cherry red. "We ain't givin' this up yet, are we?"

"Hell, no." He responds. We both look up towards the bathhouse, at what could have been a glorious mission accomplished. "But they're already done in there. We'll have to try again another time." Frustrated, he runs his hands through his blonde hair. "Agh, but it could be days before they take another bath!"

"So we wait." I say.

"Right." Answers Sanji. Monkey leaves, undoubtedly to get into more trouble, while Sanji and I sit on the deck balcony in silence, he smoking a cigarette and I trying not to breathe in the fumes. "Miss Aki." He says, after a few minutes of silence.

"Hm?"

"Have you heard of the Mermaid Princess?"

I think for a second. "Well I heard a' mermaids, and I heard of princesses, but not both together."

He takes a long drag and blows it up at the sky. "They say there isn't a lady in the world that compares to her beauty." He instantly clams up, flailing his hands about. "N-Not that I'm saying you're ugly… or anything, because you're not, Miss Aki! You're gorgeous!"

_You really think I care what you think about me, swirly-brows? _"So why're you tellin' me all this?"

"We're heading to Fishman Island, aren't we?" He answers.

"You mean…?"

"Instead of dieing trying to grasp what's in front of us now, let's wait – wait and seize the grandest of dreams in the future!" He exclaims with fiery passion.

I tell him I wholeheartedly agree with him, and content with my answer to join him in this dream of his, he stands and leaves me to return to the kitchen.

_Sucker! Now that you're outta the way, that's one less obstacle! But he was right earlier – no doubt both Madam Nami __**and**__ Madam Nico'll be on their guard after today. _An idea comes to me. _Unless… unless I act before the day is done! There's only one chance I got left. As they're undressin' before bed… yeah… yeah! __**That's**__ when I'll make my move!_

To deter suspicion from me, I start practicing my fighting techniques alone on the deck. I end up attract the attention of Roronoa, who asks if I ever thought about using a sword to fight. "I did use a blade once upon a time." I tell him. "But some nasty business happened as a result, and so I promised my master I'd never wield a blade again."

"Your 'master'?" Replies Roronoa. "Is this from the Mountain Fist dojo?"

"That's right. His name was Master Khüch," I say with a punch through the air, "and I've never known a man stronger."

"Oh?" Roronoa says, like I just issued a challenge. "So where is this dojo anyway? I've heard the legends all the time; I'm curious."

_Damn it, he had to… _"Sorry, but don't ask me that." I sigh. He leaves well enough alone, and I continue with my practicing.

After dusk falls, when the sky is in twilight, it's finally time. When no one is around to spot me, I jump over the railing, off the edge of the ship, and latch onto the side of the wooden hull tight. With silence I spider-crawl over to a window, listening very carefully. "This ship's still got a whole lot of SUPER cool tricks up its sleeve!" I hear Franky bragging.

"Oooh, show us! Show us!" Replies Monkey, excitedly.

"When the time is right, Straw Hat. No sense wasting cola."

_Men's quarters. Wrong window._ I crawl around the ship's stern to the other side. _This'd be so much easier if they'd just let me sleep in the women's quarters, as things should be._ That first night after fleeing Water Seven, Madam Nami made me sleep with the guys, despite my protest to the horrid idea, and it's been that way ever since.

Nearing another window, I hear feminine voices talking. "I'm worried about the Florian Triangle Cocoro mentioned. Don't you think we would have hit it by now?" Says Nami, her voice slightly muffled. From the side, I cautiously peer into the circular window. Madam Nami and Nico are both inside, having a chat about the ship's course. Nami is at a vanity mirror brushing her hair while Nico is sitting at her desk reading a thick, leather-bound book. Both of them are still dressed as they were in the day. _I ain't too late!_

"Perhaps we managed to bypass it altogether." Madam Nico suggests. "If we were trapped in it, we surely would have our souls sucked out of us and our corpses left to rot." She says in an ironically casual tone of voice.

"Do you have to be so dark…?" Nami mumbles. She moves from the mirror to a dresser in the right side of the room, and I have to shift my position a bit to see her. "Still, I hope you're right." she says, opening one of the dresser's drawers. I feel the telltale signs of another nosebleed coming on, and pinch my nose to keep from possibly losing even more blood today. "It would make me relieved if we managed to avoid that place." She grabs her shirt at the waist. I involuntary gasp. _Is she finally gonna…!? _She lifts it over her head, revealing a white satin brassiere housing extremely… generously endowed…

"Ms. Navigator." Says Madam Nico. "You might want to direct your attention to the window. I believe we have a visitor." I freeze. _No! I wasn't payin' attention to Nico! She saw me!_ Nami turns around with a gasp, shielding herself with her arms. When she realizes it's me, that dread turns to anger, and she stomps over to the window in rage. I mean to move, to run, to hide, anything, but it's so distracting, her figure… _They're… they're like… pillows…! Big, bouncy… pil_

The window flies open and beans me in the nose, completing that nosebleed I tried so hard to hide. "Aki! Don't you know when to quit!? You're worse than Sanji!" Nami screams.

I snap out of my trance. "I…! Well, you see- this ain't what it looks like, I was just…!"

"Just what!?"

"That is…" I falter. "M-Madam, I had no choice! After being turned away, I couldn't help myself! You made me do it, Madam!"

I get a great punch to the cheek for that that breaks my hold on the side of the ship and sends me crashing into the ocean waters. "You know I was considering letting you stay in here with us, but after today you can forget it **ever** happening!" She slams the window shut and draws the curtain.

_Way to blow things, Aki._ I surface, and let out a heavy sigh. _Well, there's always next time, I guess._ _Ugh... did I really just say that, though? 'You made me do it?' What was I thinkin'...?_I swim back to the ship, defeated.

When I enter the men's quarters, everyone but Franky, who is on lookout, is already there. "Squid-head!" Greets Monkey. "Why're you soaked, man? Go for a swim?"

Sanji is present as well, and he notices the blood stream leaving my nose. "Oi, you didn't!" He exclaims, half in anger and half in dread. "Miss Aki, don't tell me you were snooping in the ladies' quarters!"

I snatch his collar in my tentacle and lift him up off the ground. He doesn't resist. "This's all your fault in the first place, you stupid cook! I shoulda never listened to your 'all or nothin'' crap!" I throw him back to the ground, and too angry to carry on any more of a conversation, fall into a hammock and try to get to sleep, ignoring the massive failure of today. _  
_

But I can't sleep. I toss and turn and I can't sleep. I try my hardest to drift off into dreams but I simply **cannot** sleep.

I look around the room. Everyone else is out like a light. Monkey's snoring loudly – loud enough that there's no way I'm sleeping with him around. So I get out of the bed and stretch my legs, then head up above deck for a breath of fresh air.

The cool, crisp night air feels fantastic compared with the stuffy smelly quarters they've got me stuck in. The lights are on inside the crow's nest; Franky's on watch tonight. _I could do with some small talk. Even if it is with the pervert._ _Though__… they're gonna be sayin' the same_ thing about me now, ain't they? Dang. I climb up the mast and knock on a window to let him know I'm coming in. Inside he's not exactly 'looking out', instead sitting on the floor building some contraption, surrounded on all sides by a mess of parts and tools.

"Tentacles?" He says. "What're you doing up?"

"Can't sleep." I tell him. "Whatcha buildin'?"

He shifts his weight on the floor, uneasy. "I can't tell ya. Not now, anyway. SUPER secret." I shrug, and set myself down on the cushioned seat that wraps all the way around the edge of the small room. "So if you don't mind me asking," Franky says, while going back to his work, "you weren't with us in Enies Lobby, right? How'd you end up with this crew?"

"Can't tell ya. SUPER secret." I reply, imitating his nasally voice.

He laughs boisteriously. "Yeah! There ya go! Say everything in a SUPER way!" He stands up and strikes a pose, leaning on one knee with the backs of his hands against each other up the air. He pauses for a moment. "…Right. I forgot Mozu and Kiwi aren't with me anymore. It's rough not having someone to pose with ya."

_I have no idea what that's s'pposed to mean. _"Those the two girls with the square hairdos?" I ask.

"Yeah, they're my little sisters. Well, we're not blood-related, but we're just as close. You know what I mean?"

" 'Course." I respond, adding "I saw 'em a couple of times in town. Pretty cute. I meant to ask 'em out but never got the chance."

Franky raises his sunglasses up a bit to look at me, that strange habit he has whenever something surprises him. "Oh…? You're into girls? You know… don't tell anyone I said this, but… I always had a sneaking suspicion those two were as well."

"WHAT!?" I yell, much louder than I meant to. Franky is taken aback. "There… there are others who are…? I thought… I thought I was the only one!" I stand up proud and tall, almost bumping my head against the ceiling. "Alright!' I exclaim. "My thanks, Sir Franky! You've instilled a new determination in me! No longer is my quest for love a doomed venture! From this day forward, a new Aki has emerged!" I laugh triumphantly and hop out of the crow's nest, leaving a bewildered and confused cyborg man behind me. It is only when I land on the deck and take a deep breath of the fresh night air that I remember that it is indeed… night. _I… I was fixin' to get to sleep, wasn't I?_ I glance at the open door that leads down into the stinky men's quarters and swiftly decide I'm not going back down there. With only a slight bit of mischief in my thoughts, I look up on the balcony towards the door to the women's quarters. _As temptin' as it is, Madam Nami'd have my hide if she caught me anywhere near there._

Then, my gaze drifts to the wooden trap door on the deck floor, the one that leads down into the large aquarium. _Why not? A midnight swim might be nice._ Carefully and quietly I lift the door up, revealing the water sloshing about down there. I dip a foot in. The water's warm – just how I like it. Closing the door behind me as I do, I drop in feet first. The aquarium is not as spacious as I thought; there's not even enough room for one stroke, but still it feels nice to float about a bit and twirl around whimsically with my headfins. At the bottom of the tank is a layer of fluffy white sand. I let myself gradually sink down, lightly falling onto the bottom with a tiny cloud of sand about me. I stretch my limbs out and close my eyes. _This is__…_ actually_…_ rather comfortable…

* * *

I awake to the sound of soft, muffled laughing and a finger tapping a pane of glass. Slowly I sit up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. Then I notice just what it was that roused me from my slumber. On the opposite side of the aquarium window is gathered half the Straw Hat crew. Monkey and Usopp are both snickering, Tony Tony is poking the window with a hoof. Even Nami's come to see, about to burst into laughter as well. Embarrassed terribly, I try to dash to a spot where they can't see me, but find none. Their jeering only increases. Disgruntled, I swim up to the trapdoor and let myself out.

The four quickly follow me to the deck, still teary-eyed from amusement. "Squid-head, what the hell were you doing in there, man?" Monkey laughs.

"I'm jealous!" Adds Tony Tony. "I wish I could swim; it looked nice!"

Nami stifles a giggle. "If you didn't want to sleep with the guys that badly, you could've just told me, you know. I'm not heartless!"

Monkey and Usopp, behind her, both give me a look that says "Yes, she is."

"It- It ain't that! I just- that is…!" My cheeks are burning in shame.

"You were so cuuuute!" Usopp says, dragging the word 'cute' out with berating sarcastic emphasis. "Like a little fish in her pond!"

Sanji bursts out from the kitchen, as if on cue. "Miss Aki being cute? What happened!? What did I miss!?" He frantically shouts, a pan full of food still in hand.

"You missed NOTHIN**'**!" I yell, landing a punch square in his face and sending him back to the kitchen where the stupid cook belongs.

Despite that horribly embarrassing episode, I ended up sleeping there again the next night and the night after that, and eventually the tank was no longer 'the aquarium', but 'Aki's spot'. Sir Franky even drained it out to divide the tank up into an outside area for any fish they decide to throw in, and a small room for me, where I could have some privacy. All in all a pretty good deal for someone who isn't even a part of their crew.


	31. Chapter 31

**Thirty One –Tricked! Horrors in the Thick Mist**

A few days pass, and the Straw Hats catch a large number of octopi, throwing them into the tank with me. I can't speak with them of course, unlike most fishfolk, but I still connect with the little guys, like they're my pets. Some of them are mellow and prefer just to chill in the corner, but some of the more rambunctious ones like to play chase, yanking one my tentacles and then scurrying off once I turn around. That night, a number of them even swim into my room and fall asleep with me.

The next day I borrow some of Roronoa's weights to do some training. He has some impressive weights for a human; above water they would provide a decent amount of exercise for me, but underwater, they'll actually be a bit of a challenge, which is just how I like it. The octopi initially fear the large hunks of metal, fleeing as I drop down into the tank, but eventually see there's nothing to fear and even latch onto them as I lift them up and down and hold them in various positions.

As I'm lifting weights, I spy Nami and Nico both entering the lounge on the opposite side of the tank's glass wall, each with a drink in hand. They both give a friendly wave upon spotting me inside, and I respond with flexing an arm and striking a cool pose. Madam Nico gives a small laugh while Madam Nami only facepalms.

I continue working out as the two women chat and occasionally throw glances my way, until only a couple minutes later I hear the tank's door open up and someone's hand sloshing about in the water. I set the weights down with a reverberating thud, and the octopi scatter. Before I can see what's up however, Usopp dives down into the water. Holding his breath, he's got a large jar on his back, as well as a couple of Sanji's large spatulas. _The hell? _He spots me, as well as Nami and Nico, and waves. I cock my head to the side in response. The other two look just as confused. Paddling over with all the speed of a glacier to where the octopi have huddled together, Usopp whips out one of the spatulas, uses it to remove one of the octopi from the wall it's suctioned onto, and flings him up to the trapdoor and out of the water. _What's he doin'!?_ I flail my arms to try and get his attention, but he's hard at work, going at the octopi with a swift tenacity, sending more and more upwards. My first impulse is to club the guy over the head, but I realize I have to make sure the octopi are okay. In one thrust, I dash to the trapdoor and surface to face Monkey, Tony Tony, and a small pile of octopi flapping about on the deck.

"What in the hell are ya'll thinkin'?" I shout, angry.

"Oi, Squid-head! This is great! You can help Usopp catch them!" Exclaims Monkey, ignoring what I just asked.

"Catch them!? Why do you wanna catch 'em?"

"Sanji's going to cook us a big meal with them!" Tony Tony says, sparkling with anticipation.

"What!?"

"Yeah! Oh! And I almost forgot, he wanted me to ask you for some squid ink to go along with them!"

"No! Screw you guys! You can't cook 'em!" I yell, another pair of octopi flying out of the water and onto the deck. A third one collides with my leg and latches on for dear life. "And I hate spittin' ink, so you ain't gettin' none!" _It's nasty anyways!_

"Ehh?" Responds Monkey. "Why not?"

"Because…" I stammer. "Because they're my buddies, that's why! I like the little guys!" The words sound strange in my mouth.

Monkey looks at the octopi on the deck, their tentacles curling about, trying to find something to hold onto, to escape "Your buddies?" He mumbles. "Hrm… we really can't eat them?"

"No! Now put 'em back!"

Monkey sighs, whines a little, but agrees, and begins shoveling the octopi back into the water. _Phew. Now I just need to get that idiot down there to quit. _I realize he'd actually already stopped, just a moment ago. I dive back down only to find the remaining octopi latched onto his entire body, constricting him almost entirely. I laugh at the poor idiot. _Serves you right!_ He thrashes about, trying to get me to help, but I merely float down to the bottom of the tank, and sit down calmly, leaning down against the glass wall. _You got yourself into this mess, you can get yourself out. _However, a banging on the glass would say otherwise. I look behind me to see Madam Nami pointing at Usopp, shouting at me worriedly. I can't make out what she's saying from the opposite side of the glass, but it doesn't matter. I know what she wants me to do, and I find myself simply unable to refuse that cute face of hers.

I swim over to Usopp, who looks like he's on his last bubble of air. The octopi don't seem like they're willing to let their assailant go. _This'd be so much easier if I could just talk directly to the little critters._ Tapping one with a tentacle to garner their attention, I motion to let go of the guy and swim somewhere else, but they don't budge. Disappointed, I'm forced to manually pluck them off, until I can grab hold of Usopp and bring him back above water.

When we resurface, I set him where the pile of fished octopi had sat before Monkey and Tony Tony returned them to the tank. He coughs up water for a minute, having nearly drowned. Sanji exits the kitchen, grumbling. "What's with all the noise? Have you caught the shitty things yet?"

"Mr. Squid says we can't eat them 'cause they're her friends." Tony Tony says with a hint of dejection in his voice.

Sanji gasps dramatically. "Y-Your friends, Miss Aki!? I… I never meant to-" He punches a still-recovering Usopp in the back of the head and yells "What were you idiots thinking!?"

Before I can retreat back down and continue my weight training however, Roronoa shouts from atop the crow's nest that he's spied something adrift in the waters off port. "I see a flag; it's got something written on it but I can't make it out."

The brief attention span of this crew already diverted, they turn the ship towards the floating item and pull up close enough to snare the thing. Only my head and shoulders poking out from the water in the tank, I put a pair of tentacles up on the deck and rest my chin on them, watching the Straw Hats hoist the item up.

It turns out to be just a wooden barrel with a tattered red flag hastily attached to it. Inscribed on the flag in black ink are the words 'Tribute to the Sea God'.

"What a shame." Muses Nami. "I was hoping it'd be treasure, but it's only sake and food supplies."

Monkey looks disappointed as well. "How can you tell without looking inside?" He says.

"A 'tribute to the sea god' is a floating barrel someone sends off to sea when they pray to have a safe trip. Inside are offerings so that they may receive the sea's blessings on their voyage."

Usopp is on his feet by now, though not without a nasty bump on the back of his head. "So what was the point in picking it up!?"

"There's sake in there, right?" Says Roronoa. "Let's drink some!" I think back to my embarrassing episode at Mock Town._ I… think I'll pass on the alcohol this time._

Madam Nami smiles. "It's said that sake cared for by the sea has a very special taste to it."

Sir Franky's eyes light up. "I'd like to taste that for myself!"

"After drinking it," Madam Nico explains, "we're supposed to refill the barrel with new offerings and set it adrift again."

Monkey helps himself to opening up the barrel, but as soon as the lid is pryed off, a blinding flash of light bursts from the barrel and flies out with a deafening screech. Surprised and startled, everyone looks up to see something bright and red soaring high up into the sky, and then erupt in a violent firecracker explosion.

For a moment, everyone is quiet, only assessing the situation in their minds. _It's a goddamn trap is what it is, and they fell for it, hook, line, and sinker_.

Tony Tony didn't come to quiet the same conclusion. "The sake… flew out and exploded!" He shrieks.

"It was a flare." States Madam Nico. Her normal, adamantly calm visage has cracked, a hint of worriment present. "It might have been just a prank," She says, "but probably… someone will be tracking this ship from now on.

Usopp starts freaking out in classic Usopp fashion, and scans the horizons, looking for anyone who might be spying on us. "I don't see anyone, but…"

"I'm worried, too…" Says Nami. "But for a different reason. These cloud currents are moving way too fast." She feels the wind for a moment, then immediately springs into action, dashing towards the helmsman's wheel. "Head south-southeast!" She exclaims. "A massive storm is approaching within five minutes!"

Even though they can't see a thing, the Straw Hats all believe her entirely. _I suppose that kind of trust is admirable… to a point. _Too lazy to help out, I drop back into the tank and hide. The large weights are still there, as are the octopi, all of which are huddled against a wall. I smile, and swim their way. They all scatter as I do, backing away from me. _What…? Don't tell me ya'll're mad 'cause I saved Usopp?_ _I saved your lives too!_ I wish I could say that out loud to them. _Figures. That's what I get for gettin' attached to these little farts. I dunno what came over me; next time I'm lettin' that stupid cook fry ya'll up._

I swim over to my little underwater room to try and get some rest, but in minutes, just as Nami predicted, I feel the waters become rough, and the ship sway back and forth. _I'll never understand this ocean. There wasn't a cloud in sight just a second ago. _A few of the octopi poke their heads through the doorway. They're scared, terrified even. _Almost being eaten, and now rough waters. I guess I was a little too harsh on 'em… maybe. _I give them a waving motion to come on in. A loud crack of thunder booms outside and the startled octopi (including many more) all flood into my room and huddle with me for support_._ We've only a moment to forgive each other, as the boat suddenly shakes far more violently than before, like the ship suddenly gained a tremendous amount of speed. _Did they use that cola engine again?_ The force is strong, but we're all able to hold on. It lasts longer than expected, though – at least ten minutes before the shaking ceases.

I swim up and out of the tank to find a dark scene. Clouds so dark one would think it was night covering every inch of the sky. The entire ocean from end to end is blanketed with a thick, silver fog. "Aki!" Usopp shouts. "Where the hell were you? We could've used your help out here!"

I stammer for a moment. "I was… hidin'." I say.

"What…? Don't tell me you're afraid of storms?"

"No! No… course not." _I wasn't hidin' from the storm – I was hiding from __**you**__._ "Just where are we, anyway?"

"I don't know." Replies Nami. "You don't think… we've ventured into that place Cocoro told us about, do you?"

"We're already at Fishman Island?" Says Tony Tony with a smile.

Sir Franky sports a sinister sneer. "No, no. That's not where we are. This is most certainly that mysterious sea where all manner of evil things arise… The Florian Triangle!" He says, trying to get Usopp spooked.

It works (though that's not a difficult task). "W-What kind of evil things?" Usopp asks, teeth chatterring.

Monkey joins in on the fun. "Ghosts live here! Right in this sea!"

"G-g-ghosts!? No way! You're lying!"

"We're most certainly not!" Exclaims Sir Franky. "And there's even a ghost ship roaming these waters, who steals the very soul from men!"

Usopp screams like a little girl, and I have to keep myself from laughing at him. Madam Nico steals our attention. "A ghost ship? You mean like that one over there?" She points out towards the ship's port, and sailing towards us, drifting through the fog as if it were a part of the thick mist itself, is the very image of death. A great ship, broken and battered, with torn black sails, and not a soul to be seen onboard, save for horrible wailing sounds echoing through the air, sails towards us.

This time everyone screams like a little girl, myself ashamedly included. We're all frozen with fear. The massive vessel pulls alongside us, and the sounds become louder, more distinct. _Someone… singing? They can't be… ghosts!? This can't be! Right!?_

Madam Nico, calm as ever, is the first to find her voice. "Just who is riding that ship?"

Roronoa is next. "Ghost or no… I'll take it on!"

"I see someone." Says Sanji, lighting a cigarette to calm his nerves. I look towards the deck and sure enough, there is the dark shadow of a figure standing onboard. A moment passes, and the light shifts for just a brief moment, and I am able get a better view, though once I see it I wish I hadn't.

"Did you see that!?" Monkey exclaims. "It was a skeleton! And he was singing! You saw it, right? Right!?" His eyes are full of hope and excitement, any fear washed away. "Let's go! Let's go! I want to see him again!"

"He… ain't serious, is he?" I mumble. The others give me a look like "Do you really expect to be able to talk him out of it?"

While Monkey is anxiously imagining who-knows-what, Roronoa goes to the kitchen and comes back with a number of straws. "We'll draw lots to see who goes with him over to the ship."

Usopp, Nami and Tony Tony vehemently protest. "Let him go by himself!" Yells Usopp.

"Luffy… by himself?" Replies Roronoa. He doesn't have to say anymore; everyone immediately realizes what a bad idea that would be.

Nami loses the draw, along with Sanji, much to her dismay. "Why do I have to go…?" She sobs on the rowboat sent out to the ship.

Monkey and Sanji are already climb the rope ladder up to the deck. "Oi, Nami!" Monkey yells down. "Hurry and climb up!"

Nami shrieks something angry and incomprehensible back. She turns back to the Thousand Sunny. "Aki! Get over here!"

"M-Me, Madam? What d'you need me for?"

"I need someone to hide behind, and you're the tallest!" She replies.

I'm about to jump right in after her, but I stop myself before I do. "But Madam," I say, "I didn't lose the draw. Rules are rules, you know." In truth I'm just slightly creeped out about exploring a ghost ship with singing skeletons.

"I'll let you sleep in the women's quarters!"

I'm already in the water.

The four of us near the top of the rope ladder when the skeleton appears once again. He slowly peers over the side of the deck's railing down upon us. We all freeze. My muscles lock in place, and a chill wave of dread sweeps through my body. Nami screams at the sight. The skeleton beckons us up, and walks away. With great intrepidation, we press onward. When we reach the top of the ghost ship, the skeleton is awaiting us. He wears an old mauve suit, and has a top hat situated atop a massive afro. In one hand he carries a cane, and in the other a tea cup. He's tall, as tall as I am, a few inches taller even if you count the afro. Monkey, Sanji, and I are standing aside one another. Nami, in fear, hides behind me.

Then, he speaks. "Yohohohoho! Nice to meet you!" He exclaims. His voice is loud and silly, and some of the fear is dispelled in me. "Forgive my discourtesy – I could not greet you when we first met! Ah, but you surprised me! It has been so long since I met another person! Ship after ship… it is always the same thing, just ghost ships wandering around here. Truth be told, it is slightly scary!" He beckons to the ship's interior. "Well, do make yourselves at home and come inside!"

_Is… is this for real? _Monkey points at the skeleton. "I told you! He's totally talking!"

"Unbelieveable…" Sanji gasps.

The skeleton turns his eyeless gaze to me, and to Nami behind me. "Oh my!" He gasps. "What a couple of lovely ladies!"

I freeze for a moment. "W-what? No way…!" I look behind me. "M-Madam Nami, he's talkin' about-"

The skeleton continues. "I must say, I have a good eye for beauty in a lady! Although… skeletons don't have eyes! Yohohohoho!" He laughs at his own joke. _This… this has to be a dream. A prank. A big prank._ The skeleton sets his cane and teacup down on a rotting table nearby, then takes a quick moment to spruce himself up, adjusting his tie, fluffing his afro, dusting off his cuffs. He then turns back to Nami and I, and very politely, very casually, very seriously, says "May I please… see your panties?"

"LIKE HELL!" Nami yells, and with an amazing transformation from frightened to ferocious, lands a vicious kick in the side of the skeleton's head, sending him to the ground.

Being a skeleton, his expression didn't change a bit, though he doesn't bother getting back up. "You… kicked the flesh right off my bones! Though being a skeleton, I…"

"Shut up!" Nami interrupts, then turns to me. "Aki! Aren't you gonna hit him too? Don't let him get away with saying stuff like that!" I'd turned a shade meeker than my usual self at the skeleton's words. and I slump to the ground in embarrassment. _I wear boxers…_

Monkey bursts into laughter, at both of us. "Oi, skeleton!" He says in between laughs. "Do you poop?"

Sanji smacks him in the back of the head. "**That's** the first thing you think to ask!?" He yells.

The skeleton picks himself up off the floor, dusts off his cuffs again, and grabs his cane and teacup. With his same polite, casual, serious tone of voice, he answers. "Yes. Yes I do." Sanji yells at him too.

"Awesome!" Monkey exclaims. "Oi, Mr. Skeleton!"

"Yes?"

"Be our nakama!"

Sanji and Nami cringe at the thought. _Are you out of your mind, Monkey!?_

"Sure, that will do." The skeleton replies quickly, without giving it much thought.

Much to our dismay, the afro'd skeleton follows us back to the Thousand Sunny, where the rest of the Straw Hats hold mixed reactions. Usopp and Tony Tony have both brandished crosses to ward him off, while Sir Franky and Roronoa look disappointed. "Nice to meet all of you!" The skeleton cheerily introduces himself. "My name is Brook! 'Dead Bones' Brook!" He spots Madam Nico. "Oh my! What a beautiful woman!" He gasps. "Would you allow me to see your panties?" Nami throws her boot at him.

Roronoa's had enough as well. "What the hell's with this guy!?" He turns to Sanji, Nami and I. "Wasn't it your job to stop him from doing something like this!?" We can't say anything in response. _He's too right._

"Oh, come now everyone!" Says Brook. "It is nothing to get so worked up about. Let us all go inside and have a nice dinner!"

"That's not your place to decide!" Roronoa growls. Brook shrieks in fright. Monkey only continues to laugh, delightfully entertained by his new boney friend. _ He's certainly a skiddish fella… for a skeleton._ Though he is a fearful sight for sure, my fear has been quelled slightly by just how aloof and harmless he seems. _It's still a might bit queer, though._


	32. Chapter 32

**Thirty Two – To the Land of the Dead! The Skeleton Tells His Tale**

Brook turns out to be, as should be expected of a walking, talking skeleton, a very strange fellow with many quirks about him. He ensures us he is actually human, that it was a Devil's Fruit that made him as he is now, the Yomi Yomi Fruit specifically. Many many years ago, he tells us, he was part of a pirate crew that sailed the Grand Line, until they came to the Florian Triangle. Here, they met a foe who completely overwhelmed them, and the entire crew was slaughtered. Brook's fruit then did all it was made to do: it dragged his soul back from the land of the dead so that he may live once more. However, due to the confusing nature of this part of the Grand Line, it took him many years to find the boat where his body lay. By the time he finally did discover the ship it was in tatters and his body had decayed to nothing but bones (his hair, he said, has very thick roots). When his soul rejoined what was left of his body, he found the ship had been rendered useless, its sails ripped and its rudder broken. He was force to drift through this sea, entirely alone, for years and years and years, so long a time he lost track completely of just how long he had even been here. _I know somethin' of loneliness, but this… this is unthinkable._

"So you gonna get brought back to life again?" I ask, over an octopus-less dinner with the crew and the skeleton.

"Ah… miss, I try not to think about that if I can help it. It always makes me feel gloomy, you see." _Understandable._ "This food however… it is amazing!" _It's only fried rice, but I guess this guy ain't had much of nothin' to eat for ages._ "I've lived so long, always so hungry, that I feared I would be reduced to nothing but skin and bones… even though I'm a skeleton and don't have any skin at all! Yohohohoho! Skull joke!" _His sense of humor is somethin' messed up, though._

"So… you're not a ghost?" Asks Usopp, stuttering and frightened, closely gripping his cross for superstitious protection.

"No! Not at all! I am actually very frightened of ghosts!" Brook replies. "If I ever see one I scream out like 'Gyaaa!' and hide in the corner!" _'Gyaaa'?_

Nami doesn't look convinced. "Not afraid of ghosts?" She says, holding up a mirror. "Have you ever taken a look at yourself?"

Brook shrieks. "No! Not a mirror! Put that away!" He begins to shrink away from the thing as she holds it up at him.

"What? What's so bad about a mirror?" I say, summoning the courage to come closer to the cowering skeleton. "I mean, you ain't a pleasant sight, sure, but-" I gaze into the mirror, at what should be mine and his reflection, but to my surprise, only I am reflected! "Y-You!" I gasp. "You ain't even got a reflection!"

"A vampire!?" cries Nami. I back away from Brook, and everyone gets to their feet at the word. Brook only panics.

Usopp notices something else amiss as well. "Oi, you don't have a shadow either!" He exclaims. I glance down at the skeleton's feet, and sure enough, there is no shade cast by his figure on the wooden floorboards of the kitchen.

"He's right! What are you really?" I shout. Brook calms himself, sits back down at the table and crosses his legs. Nonchalantly, he reaches for his glass and takes a sip.

"Why are you so calm all of a sudden!?" Yells Sanji.

"Seriously! Can't you see we're all really scared of you right now!?" Usopp shouts, shoving the cross in his face.

"I'll tell you this." Brook begins. "My being a skeleton and having no shadow are two different matters, related only as being a result of wandering this sea for so many years." An awkward pause. "To be continued."

"It isn't the end of the chapter yet!" Sanji yells. "Tell us now!

Brook ejects a deep sigh. "My shadow was stolen from me a few years ago." _Stolen? What's he mean by that?_

"Your shadow?" Madam Nico repeats. "After seeing you here living and talking I'm not surprised by what you say, but can that really happen?"

"Indeed it can, miss. Having my shadow stolen from me means that I am no longer able to exist in the world's light."

"But you're still alive, aren't you?" Says Roronoa. "Well, sort of..."

Brook laughs quietly. "Yes, but I cannot live in the sunlight. I have only survived thus far because the thick fog here blocks out the sun."

"What would happen if you went into the sunlight?" Usopp asks.

"If that were to happen…" begins Brook, "… I would disintegrate into dust!" A horrible, sinking feeling of fear comes forth in my gut. "I once saw someone with this very same curse disappear into nothing when bathed in the sunlight. It was enough to make my hairs stand on end …though I'm a skeleton. A shadow must match what made it; therefore, if the sunlight were to hit me, I would match the state of my shadow – that is… to nothing. I also cannot be reflected in something like a mirror or a photograph." He stands up. "So here I exist, never able to reunite with my fallen comrades in the light!"

"Well, you're life's been pretty miserable, hasn't it?" Says Sanji.

"Yes!" Agrees Brook. "However, I have thus lived through it all! Ah- even though I'm just bones… But truly! Today is such a marvelous day, for once again I have seen people! Real people! You have no idea how long it has been! **I** have no idea how long it has been!" He raises his arms high into the air triumphantly, as if greeting the dawn he cannot see. "People are my happiness! All of you here are my joy!" He looks down to Monkey. "You asked me to join your crew, yes? That made me tremendously happy – thank you oh so very much." Monkey laughs through a grin. "However, I must refuse."

The young captain's laugh is cut short. "What!? Why?" He demands to know.

"Because… if I were to escape this with you, it would only be a matter of time before I vanished underneath the scorching sun. No, I will stay here, waiting for the joyous day when I can reclaim my shadow."

Monkey slams his hands down on the table, making all the kitchenware clang. "What are you going on about?" He yells. "If you need your shadow, I'll get it back for you!" _How'd I know you was gonna say that? I swear, if this idiot captain keeps gettin' sidetracked by every kind soul with a bug up his butt we ain't never gettin' to Fishman Island._ "Who's the guy who stole it? I'll kick his ass!"

Brook's expression is blank, although there isn't much one can express with just a skull for a face. "Your kindness astonishes me." He says politely. "However, I will not tell you. I cannot tell you, whom I have just met, to go and die for me.

"You think the thief's too strong?" Sir Franky says, leaning up against the porcelain kitchen counter. "I'll tell ya, we've beaten up some pretty tough customers before."

"Can you at least tell us this person's name?" Madam Nico asks.

"No, I cannot. You may find him if I do, you see." Brook replies solemnly. "I don't know if I will find him before my second life is over. If I do however, it is my place to fight him, not yours."

I nod appreciatively. "He's right." I say, grabbing everyone's attention. "You ought not to meddle in other people's affairs if they don't want you to."

The kitchen is quiet. No one can find words to say for a moment, until at last Brook breaks the silence. "Enough about all this gloominess!" He says cheerfully. "Come, let us sing a song!" He bends down to the floor and opens up a medium-sized case he had brought with him from his ship. From it he pulls a violin and rests it at his collar bone. 'I was the musician on my crew!" He states with pride.

Monkey begins to sparkle. "Really!? You're a musician!? You **definitely** have to join our crew, then!"

Brook ignores his repeated request and exclaims "Shall we sing a fun song together then?" Half the crew cheers in response. Everyone then waits for him to start playing, for the song to begin, but the skeleton is still. His bony mouth is agape, and his limbs all frozen in place."

"Something the matter, Bones?" Says Roronoa.

Monkey shushes him. "Don't interrupt a musician's song!" _He ain't even started yet, doofus._

Brook begins to stutter out symbols. "G… G… G…" He's not looking at us. He's looking straight past us. As soon as I turn my head to see what it is, he shrieks "Gyaaaa! Ghost!"

Out of the wall itself, a strange semi-transparent, blob-like creature with a simple face begins to emerge. Everyone begins to panic, except for Monkey of course, who childishly exclaims "Cool!"

"Quick! Run!" Brook cries, but as soon as he takes one step towards the door, the entire room begins to shake.

Suddenly, the phantom invading the kitchen becomes the least of our problems. "Did we hit a rock or something?" Says Nami, who makes a break for the door as well.

Brook is one step ahead of her however, and upon exiting to the outside, gasps in fright. "It cannot be! They… they were watching this ship?" I hear him exclaim. As we all make our way to the deck, we immediately notice at Sunny's bow something tremendously gigantic blocking the entire sea in front of us. _They look like giant teeth! It ain't a Sea King, is it? Do Sea Kings even get that large? _"Did you perhaps pick up a floating barrel?" Brook asks. No one replies "Yes." but he can see it on their faces that they did. "That was a trap. This ship has been targeted ever since."

"Never mind that! Just what is that thing?" Cries Usopp.

"That's the back of the gate…" mutters Brook. "Which means…" He makes a mad dash for the ship's stern. "Quick, everyone! To the back of the ship!" We follow him to a sight magnificient and terrifying. An island devoured in deep, purple mist is before us, covered in dark, foreboding forests. Past the woods stands a large castle with an evil look about it – gargoyles line the steep roofs, and tall spires pierce the misty sky. Behind that lies something, but I can't quite make out just what it is. Whatever it is, it is massive. More so than any structure I've ever laid eyes on before, even larger than the fountain of Water Seven. "This is the wandering ghost island," says Brook, "Thriller Bark!"


	33. Chapter 33

**Thirty Three – Into Thriller Bark! The Truth Behind the Island of Ghosts**

The Log Pose doesn't react at all to the island, thank goodness. _Losin' my ticket to Fishman Island woulda been a major letdown. _"Thriller Bark drifted here all the way from distant West Blue, so it doesn't act like the rest of the islands on the Grand Line." Brook explains. He returns inside and grabs his cane. "Now then, please find a way to leave here through the gate. Do not drop anchor here." He warns. "Do not take this the wrong way, I am truly happy to have met you kind people. However, I must away now. If fate will have it, let us meet again someday!" He then leaps off of the ship into the water with impressive dexterity. _Ain't he a Devil's Fruit user? Won't he…?_ To all our surprise, we see him running on top of the sea towards the grim island, his legs a blur beneath him kicking water up in a frenzy. _Never mind. Wonders never cease._

"We should do what he said." Says Nami. "The only thing we know about this place is that it's extremely dangerous."

Monkey responds with a giant smile. "You say something?" He grins. _Boy's already made up his mind, Madam, and it's a very one-track mind at that._

"Are you sure we even **can** leave, Ms. Navigator?" Says Nico. She points towards the massive teeth-like gate in the distance. "That shaking earlier… I believe it was the sound of that gate closing. And there is a fence from the looks of things that extends all the way around the island. I do believe instead of escaping we're going to be trapped and slaughtered like frightened rabbits."

We all realize she's right – about the being trapped part, not the unnecessarily dark possibility. "Usopp," sobs Nami, "I think I contracted I-can't-set-foot-on-this-island disease from you."

"Me… me too." Cries Tony Tony.

"Then you guys can stay here!" Cheers Monkey.

Usopp gets in his face. "Why do you have to have All-ready-for-adventure disease!?" He points out towards Thriller Bark. "Luffy, just look out there! That's a real haunted house! You'll get cursed for setting foot inside! We'll **all** get cursed!"

"Don't worry, man!" Smiles Monkey. "I'll be really careful!" Anyone can tell that's a lie. "I wanna catch that ghost from before and keep it as a pet! Besides, we have to get back our nakama, of course! We can't leave him here."

"N-Nakama?" Usopp mumbles. "No way! I'm against that! If you let that skeleton come with us, I'll be too scared to sleep at night!"

No one's listening to him. Madam Nico, Sanji, Sir Franky, and Roronoa are all also ready to head out and explore the island with their captain. "You're kidding me!" Nami exclaims. "You too, Robin?"

"I love thrills." Robin says plainly. "I think it's exciting here."

I slide up to Nami. "Fear not, Madam! I have no intention of settin' foot on that dreadful island neither, so you'll be in good hands while they're all out doin' everwhat it is one does on spooky ghost islands." I notice the smallest and briefest of scowls on Sanji's face for just a split-second.

"We'll need a boat to go out to the island, you know." Says Sir Franky. "And you all still haven't seen my SUPER present stored away down below deck."

"Hold on." Says Nami, a bit of her fear subsided. "I thought you told me there was nothing down there?"

Sir Franky laughs. "I told you all that 'cause it's a present! Can't have you seeing it before it's ready to be unveiled! C'mon, follow me!" While the others are making ready to explore Thriller Bark, the rest of us follow the shipwright down a ladder into the belly of the Thousand Sunny. It's surprisingly clean down here – I thought for sure it would be a junk-filled mess. Sir Franky lifts up a sliding door and we all peek in. inside the storage bay is none other than a smaller version of the figurehead of the Going Merry, planted atop a cute little paddle steamboat.

"It's Merry!" Usopp exclaims and bursts into tears of happiness.

Sir Franky sports a look of pride at his work. "Mini Merry, to be precise!"

I turn to Nami with an idea. "What d'you say we take it for a quick test drive before the others go the island, Madam?"

Nami hops into the boat and grabs hold of the wheel. "Of course!" She turns to us. "C'mon, you all! Let's go!" Usopp and Tony Tony are delighted to be back with Merry, even if it's only in spirit. I even find a smile forming on my face as I climb into the small vessel. Once we're all aboard, Franky presses a button and the opposite side of the storage space opens up to reveal the outside of the ship. The waters rush in, and we are pulled out into the sea. I glance up at those still on deck, and give a wave. They wave back, delighted to see the boat, and my smile grows a bit. The Mini Merry chugs along at a relaxing pace, puffing out a white trail of fluffy steam as it paddles along.

"This is nice." I say, and lean back a bit.

"Isn't it?" Says Usopp. "I thought I'd never see Merry again!"

"What happened to the ship anyway?" I ask. "The Aqua Laguna get it?" A spot of gloom arises in their faces. "N-Never mind. Forget I said anythin'. Let's just keep enjoyin' this, shall we?"

Tony Tony regains his happiness in full. "Do you think we can go faster, Nami?" He asks.

"Ooh, yeah!" I add, getting childishly excited.

"Let's see!" She pushes down on the pedal, and the boat gains speed.

"Ryahahaha!" I laugh, standing up and letting the air breeze over my forehead. "Now we're talkin'! This is great! I love-" Before I can finish my sentence, the Mini Merry crashes into something below water, and all four of us are violently sent flying up into the air. Thinking quick, I glance beneath me, where I see the other three up into the air as well, and below them a deep crevice in between two moss-covered stone walls. _I'm close enough, I can latch onto the far side!_ I manage to grab on and quickly climb up onto the top of the wall, but the other three aren't so lucky. They plummet into the abyss, where I hear a loud thud. "Madam!" I shout, and look down into the pit. The bottom is a decent ways down, but they look unharmed. "Are you alright down there?"

"A little hurt…" Madam Nami answers, "but I think we're fine!"

"Hold on a minute! I'll be right down to get you out!"

"Oi! What about the rest of us!" Growls Usopp.

I sigh. "Fine, fine. Yeah, I'll get the rest of ya'll out as well." I begin to make the descent down, but when I try to grab onto the wall, my tentacle slips. I try again, latching on with the barbs, but I just can't a good enough hold on it to lower myself down. "I can't get down! The moss is makin' it too slippery!" I yell down.

"Useless!" Usopp yells back.

"I'll go get help from the ship, calm down!" I look over to the other side of the pit. _That's… kind of a big jump, though. I'm… not totally sure I can make that._ "Uh… second thought, I'll find a way around! Just uh… wait right there for me! Okay?"

"We're fine!" Says Nami.

_I hope so. _I take a look opposite the sea, into the island. The forests are murky, so thick, that I can't see more than several yards in. I am reminded of darker times in my life. The sight of this horrible forest certainly reflects those feelings, those memories welled up deep within my heart. Still, I summon my courage and go forth into the darkness.

While slashing through the thick foliage with my tentacles, eerie noises fill the air around me: the whispering wind, a bush rustling, an echoing howl or beastial shriek in the distance. It's frightening, but I keep my wits about me. _They're just critters, Aki – get over it. _I tell myself that in my head, but after seeing Brook and that ghost (_which reminds me, whatever happened to it?_), I wouldn't be surprised if I saw any other supernatural creatures residing on this cursed island. _Vampires… goblins… could be anythin'…_

After a good time creeping about in the gloom, I hear far in the distance the sounds of movement. Not only that, but voices. Angry voices and weapons – the sound of a battle.

_That must be Monkey! I knew that idiot couldn't wait long to explore the island. _Delighted to have found the rest of the crew, I speed towards the direction of the sound. When it gets louder, it sounds as though there are many more participants than the Straw Hat crew contains. I come to a small clearing among the trees, and a number of unknown people are there, battling against dreadful, rotting, macabre creatures, the likes of which I've never seen before. Some are human-shaped, many of them are four-legged animals, all of whom have stitches tracing all over their bodies. They all share a trait of repulsiveness about them. Not contemplating just what the situation here might be, I immediately choose the side of those that are actually people, and run into the fray. The human side notices me, but does not question my presence, only focusing on the battle. The creatures are slow, shambling, clumsy, and easy to down. One charges at me, a horrible thing composed of a rat's head sewed onto a humanoid body, with elongated black claws protruding from its fingers. On its forehead the number "622" is tattooed on in thick blank ink. It swipes at me, and I block its attack at the wrist, then wrap a tentacle around its neck tight. Pulling it back quickly, the barbs cut deep into the flesh and nearly sever its head clean off, blood soaking my tentacle. _A gruesome kill, but this is a gruesome monster. _Happy with the kill, I turn to another misshapen creature when a poignant pain sears into my back and a scream escapes my lungs. I turn back around to find the rat-monster, its head still partly severed, still on the move, its claw carrying a fresh stain of my blood. _It's still movin'!? How? _With both pain and fury, I wrap a number of tentacles around its arms and waist, and try the same maneuver. Some of its entrails spill out through the wound, meaty chunks of rot, but even that does not stop it.

"Here!" One of the humans, a large, portly woman with pink hair tied into large twin pigtails, yells and tosses a bag my way. I catch it with a tentacle and, dodging an attack, peer in.

"Salt?"

"Get some into its mouth! It's the only way to kill them!" She explains. Not caring to question why, I block another one of the rat-thing's attacks, which at this point is merely a clawed hand being swung about like a flail, reach into the bag with a tentacle and fish out a cube of salt. I then pry open the creature's mouth, and toss the small block in. Immediately it begins to gag and grasp at its torn apart throat, until its body suddenly ceases to move, and from what's left of its mouth emerges a dark blob, as black as an abyss and as viscous as honey, which soars high into the sky and disappears from sight. The monster's body then falls to the ground, lifeless like a broken husk.

_Now I __**really**__ wanna know what these things are. _I look at the rest of the fighters. The creatures are pulling back, our side clearly being the victors in this skirmish. My allies let them go. _Followin' must be fruitless._ I notice they have captured some of those black blobs with a thick woven net. The fire of the battle extinguished in me, the pain of my wound reemerges, and I collapse to the ground for a moment.

A man walks up to me. "Got ye good, did they?" He extends a hand down and I grasp it with a tentacle, pulling myself up. He's a little freaked out for a moment, but doesn't let go.

"What **were** those things?" I ask.

"You must be new to Thriller Bark." Says the round woman, greeting me. Now that I have a better look at her, I notice she's a rather unpleasant sight as well, though for different reasons. Tiny little eyes, a rather pronounced nose, a missing tooth, and lips half the size of her head painted up red – she looks like a failing clown. She sheathes her two bloodied blades and approaches me. "Name's Lola." She says, extending a hand in friendship. "Marriage Proposal Lola they call me. We're the Thriller Bark Victims Association. Or at least that's the name we've got going. We once were the Rolling Pirates." _You're getting weirder and weirder with every word you say, Madam. _"Haven't seen your kind in some time. Then again, we haven't seen much of anything other than these zombies."

"Zombies?" I gasp. "You're tellin' me those were… were undead?"

"More or less." Replies Lola. She points up towards the castle spire in the distance. "See the manor? Well… of course you have. Hard to miss. The man behind everything that goes on here, the man in charge, is one of the Shichibukai, Gecko Moriah."

_Shichibukai? I've heard that term before._ "One of the seven pirate warlords that work for the World Government?"

Lola almost laughs. "Well, I doubt any of them actually **work** for the Government; it's more of a contract of convenience if you ask me. They've all got plans up their sleeves. Like Moriah here – he's spent the last who knows how many years building up an army of zombies. Right! I forgot, I was going to tell you – Moriah's ability to create these monsters stems from a Devil's Fruit: the Kage Kage Fruit, which grants him the ability to manipulate shadows."

_Ah, I see. He must be the one what stole Brook's, then._ "But what does that have to do with bringing things back to life?"

"I'm getting to that, I'm getting to that!" Says Lola, impatient. "Technically, they're not undead. They're empty shells, made to move by Moriah inserting someone's shadow inside of them. As it's a Devil's Fruit ability that made them, consuming sea salt is the cure to stop them. We've all had our shadows stolen long ago, and we've been fighting to reclaim them and to survive ever since. First things first though," she puts two fingers into her mouth and whistles, calling for someone. "Let's have someone patch that wound up."

The man she summoned is a medic, and I remove my cloak and shirt carefully, cringing as the damp fabric rubs up against the tender wound. I'm hesitant at first for a moment, not because I'll be shirtless in front of a number of people (I really couldn't care less about that), but because of the stupid stigma I have about the scars on my back. _Looks like I'll have another once all this is done. _Thankfully, he doesn't bring them to mention. I can't see the new wound of course, but he assures me it looks nasty. After conservatively applying a stinging antiseptic over the wound, he bandages it up nicely, so much that my torso's almost entirely covered. I pick up my bloodied, dirty shirt. I only got it a few weeks ago at Water Seven, at that stupid store Madam Nami and Nico dragged me into, but it already looks like it's been through years of hell. "Best not to put that back on actually. Don't want an infection." The medic warns. _Fine by me. _I toss it in the bushes, then stand back on my feet and throw my cloak over my shoulders.


	34. Chapter 34

**Thirty Four – Clash on the Big Bridge! A Terrible, Shocking Truth**

"So I noticed you still have your shadow, unlike us. Why'd you come to Thriller Bark, Miss…?" Lola begins, once we've returned to their camp nearby, and are sitting down around a small fire.

"Aki Sinagra. But just… Aki." I answer. "And truth be told I ain't sure. I was with a crew of pirates headin' for Fishman Island but we were snared in by this place."

"Fishman Island, eh?" Says Lola. "We've been there. Not a bad place to spend a vacation at. Course, most people it's just in and out, onto the New World, or in our case, onto this half of the Grand Line. You said you were with some pirates, did you? That's probably why they're heading down there."

"Somehow I don't think they got a clue what their plan is, just the next spot on the map." I suddenly remember why I'm out in this gloomy, freak show forest in the first place. "That's right!" I exclaim, startling a few around me. "I came out here to find help! Three of those pirates are trapped down in a deep crevice on the island's edge, and I was fixin' to find a way around to get back to our ship!"

Lola raises a tiny eyebrow. "Your ship, you say? You headed directly opposite of where you need to be, then. You're in the heart of the island now." _Seriously? I thought I was still close to the coast. What am I now… that stupid swordsman?_ "And if your friends got caught in the moat of bones, as it sounds like…" She lowers her head a bit, turning her gaze to the ground, "then they've probably already been caught by at least one of the Mysterious Four."

"The Mysterious Four?" I repeat.

"Along with Gecko Moriah are his three subordinates: Doctor Hogback is the one who's stitched together all the shells for Moriah's zombies, Perona and her ghosts make up the island's surveillance net, and Absalom heads the army as their general." _Too many names. I ain't rememberin' 'em._ "How long ago did you last see them?"

"Not long." I answer. "An hour or two, maybe?"

A sparkle of hope arises in Lola's little eyes. "There may still be hope then. They may not have been taken to the mansion and had their shadows stolen yet. I assume you wish to try and save them?"

I nod. "It's partly my fault they got in this mess in the first place." _They mighta stayed on the ship if I hadn't suggested we take the Mini Merry for a test drive._ "It wouldn't sit right with me if I didn't do somethin'." _Though in truth, I really only care to save Madam Nami._

"Even with that wound?" Lola asks. I put a tentacle to the bandages on my back. It hurts poignantly to the touch. Lola sees the wince in my eyes and forms an idea. "Stay right here. I've got an idea." She stands up and walks out of sight for a moment, returning a minute later with a strange item in her hands: a shadow. Clearly a human shape, a rope is wrapped around its waist, and its arms are stretched upwards, as if trying desperately to escape.

"That's a shadow, ain't it?" I say. "How'd you manage to wrangle it like that?"

"Real simple, actually. You've heard of sea stone, haven't you?" I shake my head no. "It's a special type of stone that contains within it the essence of the sea. It's especially useful in that it nullifies the power of Devil's Fruit users." She lifts up the shadow by the rope. "We looted this rope from a Marine vessel several years back; it has sea stone interwoven in its fibers, so it can hold the shadows Moriah's stolen."

_I oughta keep a note of this sea stone. Could be mighty helpful stuff._ "Well that's… interestin', but what's the point of capturing a shadow? Why not just let it return home to its unlucky owner?" I ask.

"Instead of us telling you, how about we show you?" She signals to a number of her men. "Alright, hold her down!"

Before I know what's happened, a number of men have charged at me and have grabbed ahold of my limbs: arms, legs, and tentacles all. "Hey!" I shout. "What's the big idea?" Their grip is good, but they're no match for my strength, and I toss several of them to the ground with ease.

Lola scoffs. "Just hold still! This'll only take a second!" With swiftness unexpected of her large stature, she takes the shadow in one hand and pierces it directly into my bandaged abdomen. A shockwave of senses bounces throughout my body. Muscles spasm, nerves flicker, thoughts jumble. I glance down in horror to find half the shadow sticking straight out of my belly. _This… this ain't…! What's the hell!?_ She pushes the shadow in entirely, and my mind shatters for just the briefest of moments. In that moment, images flash in front of my ethereal eye. Some I recognize, memories of mine, but others are entirely foreign. _A grassland village, a marine training camp, a tall tower._

I return to reality, and find myself lying down in the dry dirt. "We thought for a second we might have lost you there, Aki." I hear Lola say. "First time's always the toughest. How do you feel?"

In a strange movement that feels both reflexive and totally unlike me, I quickly get to my feet, perform a military salute and exclaim "Ma'am! I feel absolutely fine, ma'am!" _Wait, what did I just do? That ain't like me? No, it's exactly like me! It's how I was trained to be!_ "Ma'am! Requesting permission to ask what you just did to me, ma'am!"

Lola laughs, as do a number of her crew. "I turned Moriah's strength into **our** strength. That was the shadow of a Marine sergeant. By sticking it into you, you've gained his power in addition to your own!" _Stupendous! What an amazing discovery! Or… is it merely… weird?_ _I can't decide. _"He was a swordsman at that, so I think you'll find your skills with a blade have improved."

"I appreciate this greatly, ma'am! However, I made a promise never to use a blade again, and I keep my promises, ma'am! Also, if I may… I don't think… I'd like to be talking like this forever! Ma'am!" I strengthen the salute.

Lola laughs again. "Don't worry, it only lasts for about ten to fifteen minutes. Speaking of which, you'd better get moving if you're to save your friends! And don't forget the salt!"

"Right you are, ma'am!" I salute again, then dash off in the direction towards where our battle with the zombies took place, filled with a new fervorous passion instilled in me. _How grand a feeling! Madam Nami, I'll have you saved before this strength escapes me!_

With the nameless Marine sergeant's shadow giving me such a great boost in power, I bound through the forest with a speed and vigor I'd never known before. I don't even bother with the few zombies I come across. _I got more important things to worry about!_ The mansion is just up ahead. I reach the front door, and leap into it with a ferocious kick. It smashes open and bounces through a lavish hallway, then crashes into a staircase with a loud shattering of wood. My blood pumping, I waste no time in entering, opening up all the doors, and searching the place. But to my surprise, there isn't a single person, zombie, or anything present! I move up a floor, but still it is vacant. One room, a dining hall, looks as though there was a rough fight. The chandelier has fallen, broken glass is all over the floor, the dining table is smashed, wallpaper is torn – the place is a mess. _Someone __**was**__ taken here! But who?_ As if answering my question, I come upon, tangled up in the chandelier, a small tuft of very curly black hair. _That's Usopp's hair, ain't it? But where were they taken to? Surely those three wouldn't fare well in a fight against these zombies!_

I move up another story to the third floor, where I find, jutting out from the back of the mansion, a bridge made of stone and soil, so enormous that it's actually been turned into a garden, with trees and all manner of plants growing happily on it. What startles me most is not the bridge however, but what it leads to. Far in the distance amidst the purple mist that pervades every corner of Thriller Bark, is a tower, larger than any construction I have ever seen in my life. Cylindrical in shape, it reaches so high up that I can barely make out the top from down here. In the distance I hear the sounds of combat. _I've no time to waste! Madam Nami… and those other two civilians… are in trouble, certainly!_ I don't know how much time I've got left, but it can't be more than five minutes.

After a minute of running through the garden, towards the noises, I come upon a small patio where I spot a quaint little gazebo as well as Nami, Usopp, and Tony Tony being chased by several dozen zombies, namely a large pink patchwork boar-creature wielding a large, rugged blade in each hand. The rest of them don't look quite as grotesque as the ones I've already seen, though. They look more… _Dare I say it…? Cute?_

"Madam Nami!" I shout, ecstatic to see her. I don't think she heard me, so I run to her aid. With a feral charge, I lunge towards the first zombie in my path, a little sheep thing with a top hat, leap into the air and kick its head straight off. A stitched-up monkey in an old suit gets a fist to the gut, and then with a mighty heave, I throw what's left of both of them into the gazebo with a crash. _That got their attention!_

"Oi, who the hell are you!" One shouts, a hippo with a curly moustache.

I blink a couple times in astonishment. "What's this? You monsters can talk?"

"I asked a queston first, asshole!" Yells the hippo.

The well-trained marine in me makes me waste no time questioning the oddity of talking zombies. "My name is Sergeant Aki Sinagra, and you zombies are under arrest! I-I mean, I've come to slay you!"

"Slay us?" A turtle-zombie laughs. "How are you you planning on doing that? There's only one of you against thirty of us!"

"Your numbers matter not in this tiny area. And besides…" I pull out the bag of salt. "…I know your weakness!"

The zombies look slightly intimidated, but ready themselves for battle nonetheless. Six of them charge me at once, and I move in a circular spinning motion I never knew I had, slashing all of them at once with barbed tentacles. They're shaken by it for a moment, but I do not give them the chance to recover, tossing salt in a many of their mouths as I can, eliminating them. A giant poodle-bear swings an axe down at me but I catch it in at the shaft, loose it from his grip, and use the large weapon and cleave the thing's head off. It bounces a couple times in the grass, where it proceeds to yell obscenities at me. A skinny orangutan brings a club down on me, but I block with the axe, then toss the mighty weapon at him, slicing him in two.

The zombies are no match for me, and after I've downed at least half their numbers, they realize it as well. "Oi!" a rabbit-gorilla exclaims. "Forget this squid! Absalom only wants the orange-haired girl! We just have to capture her! Come on!" They all agree, and flee in the direction Nami run off to just a couple minutes ago.

"You louts!" I shout, furious. "Where do you think you're goin'!? This ain't-"

My body shutters, and I fall to my knees for a moment, my back hunched over. _No! Is my time up already?_ I can feel the presence faded, the memories disappearing, my strength draining, and from my back comes the strange feeling of the Marine sergeant's shadow escaping, up into the night sky.

I take a moment to catch my breath. _Damn it! I can't believe I let that pink boar zombie escape in the first place! What was I thinkin'!? I shoulda been goin' for it, not the other ones! Stupid shadow!_ I get back on my feet and take off after the mob of zombies.

The shadow gone from me, I find my speed has decreased as well. However, while I've never been much of a sprinter, these zombies are even worse. I catch up to them in no time and, shoving them out of the way, keep on running after the noise of trees toppling over, assuming surely that must be the boar's doing.

When at last I spot them, Usopp and Chopper are trying to hold the thing down as it chases after Nami. Now that I've got a better look at the zombie, it's actually slightly comical: it (or should I say "she"?) is dressed up like a bride at a wedding, a formal white gown, a garland of pink flowers around its forehead; yet still it is definitely a grotesque boar zombie.

"Wait right there, Burglar Cat!" The zombie growls, fire in her eyes. "Absalom is **my** groom, and no one else's!" _What the hell is this zombie talkin' about? Groom?_

"Madam Nami!" I shout. "I'm comin'!" _The rascal's fast, but if it stops for just a moment, then I can…!_ The boar takes a moment to toss off Usopp and Tony Tony both. _There! I'm almost there!_ Just then however, Nami trips! A tree root jutting out from the dirt, and she's on the ground, helpless. _No! Madam!_

"This is it! Time to die!" The boar roars, raising her blades high into the air.

Nami is terrified, as she looks up at the fearsome figure. "W-wait!" She cries. "I can't marry him! Because... I'm… I'm… I'm actually a man!"

I stop. The boar stops. Everyone stops. Thoughts fail to form in my mind. Only breathless utterances escape my lips. "Y… you're… what…? M… Mada…"

The boar is stunned as well. "Is this true!?" It exclaims. _N… no… Nami, say it ain't…!_

"It is!" Nami replies immediately. "This is just a hobby of mine! A lifestyle! My real name is actually Namizou!"

_Then… that means… all this time…! What I saw… a lie! I been… I been lustin' over… over… a MAN!? _I can no longer withstand the harsh discovery. My mind is shattered. My vision begins to swirl, sounds become muddled, and I exit the realm of the conscious almost immediately.


	35. Chapter 35

**Thirty Five – Enter the Tyrant! The Land of Hatred**

My sleep is restless and full of nightmares of all sorts. However, when I awake I cannot remember a single one. The first thing I notice is pain: my head pounding and the wound on my back stinging. Slowly I gather myself. _Just… where am I?_ I look around. My eyesight is blurred, but I can make out… _Thousand Sunny...? I'm back on the ship?_ I try to stand up and am rewarded with falling over, my face meeting the floorboards in a violent matter. Lifting my head reveals I had been tossed inside a wooden barrel of all things, and sat inside the kitchen. _Is this someone's idea of a joke?_ I stand up, clutching my head to try and ease the throbbing headache. _The Straw Hats musta brought me back here. I can't see why Moriah's troops'd let me run loose like this._

"Oi, Perona wants all this onboard as soon as possible!" An unknown voice, raspy like its vocal cords are filled with sand yells from outside. _Speak a' the devil. _Immediately I flatten myself against a wall, cautiously peering outside. There's a whole battalion of zombies boarding the ship. All of them are carrying freight onboard, goods, supplies, and (probably) treasure. _Dang. That's too many to fight directly. I wonder if pushin' 'em into the sea'll work…_

"Hold it, you!" An angry voice rings out. I instantly recognize it as Nami's, but then I remember. _The horrible truth… just before I blanked out. Madam… no… Namizou! How could you play me for such a fool this whole time? Toy with my maiden's heart so?_ It pains me to do so, but I do not spring forth in a fervorous passion of love to be at her… his side. "Just what are you doing with the loot I was gonna steal, hmm?" He yells. "And Sunny!?"

"Horo horo horo!" Comes a strange laugh. "Why if it isn't the Cat Burglar herself?" **_That's_**_ a woman… ain't it?_ While all the zombies are focused on Namizou I inch open the door and crawl along the wall, up to the rooftop, where I lie down flat and spy on the scene. The Thousand Sunny has been caught in a massive spider's web of some kind at one of Thriller Bark's docks. Namizou stands atop the stone gate leading into the island proper, garbed in a wedding gown. _S- he looks so… womanly! How… how could that be a man!? Oh damn it, Namizou! If it had come from any lips other than yours I wouldn't believe it! _I almost cry, but clench my teeth and hold in the tears. On the wooden pier between him and the ship stands a beautiful young lady in elegant, gaudy fashion: bubblegum pink hair tied in curly twin tails, and frilly clothing in hues of red, white and black. "Is your ceremony with Absalom over already?" The girl taunts.

"Who the hell'd wanna get married to that perverted beast-man?" _Monsieur Namizou, I don't reckon there are many places that __**would**__ marry the two a' you together._

The bubblegum girl crosses her arms. "So you ended up getting away? What a stupid guy." She pauses. _Is she gonna attack? I remember that name, Perona; Lola said she was one a' the leaders here. I ain't sure if you can take her on, Namizou!_ "So? What do you want? Yes, I intend to leave this island with your ship. Do you think you can do anything to stop me?" She reaches a hand out, palm facing upwards, and out from it spring a number of tiny little ghosts, just like the one that we saw onboard Sunny. "I hope you've prepared a grave for yourself, because you won't live to see the dawn!"

Just then, before I could even process the thought, a man appears behind the girl Perona. Perhaps not even a man, but a giant, a broad-shouldered behemoth, standing at least twice my height, wearing modest clothing, a pair of black leather gloves, and clutching a thick tome in one hand. I blink, not entirely able to comprehend the situation. _Am I seein' things? Who is that? How did he… what?_

Perona doesn't notice him. "Lady Perona! Run away!" Her zombie servants cry. The man does not flinch. He is a statue of flesh, staring unblinkingly forward, as if seeing things we do not, things we cannot.

"Who the hell are you?" Perona yells as she swings around to face him. As soon as she meets eyes with the bear of a man, her face switches immediately from anger to pure fear. "You…!" She gasps. "You're one of the Shichibukai! The Tyrant, Bartholomew Kuma!" _Shichibukai!? Another one? Why are there two here?_ "I've… I've heard stories… they say you were ruthless beyond compare when you were a pirate!"

The man speaks. "Are you with Moriah?" He asks. His voice is calm, unnaturally soothing, like a gentle father figure. It does not match his threatening visage, nor Perona's description of him at all.

"N-No!" Perona answers, almost immediately. "I have nothing to do with Sir Mori- I… I mean Gecko Moriah… anymore! I just want to get away from this island!

There is a pause between words so silent, I can hear the beating of my own heart. "Very well." Bartholomew begins. "If you were to go on a vacation, where would you like to go?" _…Huh? Just small talk? No way, what is this guy plannin'?_

"W-Why would you want to know- hmm…" Her mood changes suddenly. "Well I suppose if I'm going on a vacation, somewhere dark would be nice, perhaps near an old castle, with a tragic history, you know?" She snaps out of her daydream. "Wait! You're messing with me!" She readies herself for a fight, taking a step back from the mountainous figure. "I was overwhelmed by your reputation for a moment, but I've nothing to fear from you! Not a soul can stand up to my powers!" Ghosts fly out from her hands and surround the area.

_This feelin'… she's in real trouble! I can feel it!_ My body begins to move on its own, standing up, jumping into the air to save her. _She ain't gonna win…!_ I land on the railing of the ship and leap again onto the dock. "Madam!" I exclaim. I dodge her ghosts as I dash towards her. "Look out!" I collide into her to push her out of the way of danger, when time crawls to a slow. Perona is startled by my sudden appearance. Namizou watches on with a fearful eye. The zombies are all too terrified to move. The giant man removes a glove. _Bartholomew… he's about to move! Can I get out of the way fast enough?_

The next thing I know, I'm gone.

* * *

"Let go, you!" Perona yells. The two of us have been soaring through the air over the night time seas for several minutes now. When Bartholomew moved in to attack, it was with such speed that neither of us could do anything to prevent it except hold on to one another for protection. When his palm connected with Perona's back, the force was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. All my insides shifted to one side, and the next thing I knew the two of us were flying in the sky over a dark starlit ocean at a speed no one should ever be moving at. Madam Perona however, has seemed entirely unaffected by the incredible velocity at which we are currently sailing, while I am holding onto her for dear life, using every bit of my strength not to lose my grip. Unfortunately for me, she does not care one bit for my safety, and is trying equally hard to be rid of me, to dump me off into the ocean. "I said get off! You're icky, and I don't like icky things!"

"I swear I ain't nothin' of the sort, Madam!" I shout into the loud wind zooming by us. "Please! Don't let go! I'll die if I fall travelin' this fast!"

"I don't care! I don't care! I don't care!" She whines like a child having a temper tantrum. She tugs at my tentacles wrapped around her waist, but my grip is too tight and she can tell she's not going to be able to pry them off. "Fine! If you won't do as I say, you icky fish, then I'll make you get off!" She shoves a manicured hand in my face, and out from it emerges a ghost that pierces directly through me. I feel no physical pain, but…

"You're right." I mope. "Why should I care about livin'…?" Uncaring, without any hesitance I let Perona go, and she soars off in her little bubble of air as I begin to fall. But I don't even care. I close my eyes as I plummet from the sky. _This is for the best. I'm just a useless nobody who deserves this._

"Wait, no! What am I thinkin'!?" I shout, my ghost-induced stupor of depression gone. I look around me, at the twilight on the horizon, then down towards the ground, and realize what a state I'm in. Once again I'm falling from an incredible height, but unfortunately, unlike last time at the Knock-Up Stream, this time there's solid land below me. A forested island, the trees have a thick canopy. _I hope that's enough to stop me! _I spread my limbs out wide again to gain air resistance and the wind blasts at me. Still at an accelerating rate I draw closer and closer to the island, when I hear the strangest of sounds coming from the island itself. _Is that… it sounds like somethin'… poppin'?_ A few seconds of falling later, and I see what it's coming from. Rising out of the canopy itself are countless numbers of bubbles. And not just tiny, insignificant bubbles, but ones large, gigantic even, big enough to fit a person in. _That's all well and pretty, but it don't really help me none... I'm still gonna die!_ I can't see any way out of this. _I'm gonna crash into that island like a meteorite, and everythin'll be over. Everythin' I've set out to do, meaningless, everythin' I still have to achieve, hopeless._ For the first time in my life, I find myself cursing a beautiful young lady, genuinely furious at her. _Damn it, Perona! Why couldn't you just let me hold on!? _One of the giant bubbles is directly in my path. I pay it no mind until I come into contact with it.

Instead of simply breaking through it and continuing my descent to death I collide into it, the wind knocked straight out of me, scrambling my head for a moment. The bubble squishes under my impact, then at the limit of its tension it breaks with a loud popping noise. I continue to fall, but my speed has been slowed tremendously. Before I can form a thought, I hit another bubble, and bounce off it before it pops.

I get my head in order, and realize these bubbles will save my life, silly though it may seem. I bounce off a couple more on my way down, but once I break through the canopy, they thin out and I begin to gain speed again. I'm directly above a city street, various shops and stalls lining the road, and people out for a little twilight stroll are happily walking about. They obviously haven't noticed the fishwoman falling from the sky. "Watch out! Watch out!" I yell, a rather selfless act considering it's **my** life that's at risk here. Several of the cityfolk look up. Many gasp; certainly all are bewildered.

No bubbles in sight to catch my fall, my descent is ended by crashing into the wagon of a middle-aged man selling various fruits. I let out a scream of pain as my body smashes the cart in two and fruit flies about into the air and splatters all over the road, the man, and myself.

As the dust cloud fills the area, no one can seem to find anything to say. No one even notices the nearing sunrise over the sea. Everyone is in too much shock, or in my case, too much pain. I can't tell where, but something is almost certainly broken. Or at least dislocated.

At last the silence is broken with the voice of a young man. "Are… are you okay?" He gasps.

"Probably not." I grumble. "But," I groan, "I'm made a' tough stuff, so I reckon I'll be fine. Could someone help me up? My back hurts like hell."

"Y-Yeah, sure…" The man stutters. I thank him, and he steps forward into the cloud of dust and dirt uplifted from my impact and reaches a hand out. I nab it with a tentacle and begin to pull myself up when he shrieks, shakes it off immediately and takes several steps back. My balance lost, I fall back onto the broken cart and slippery puddle of smashed fruit.

"Ow! What's the big idea!?" I yell, pushing myself up to my feet with my tentacles. I crack my back, then storm out of the dust at the man. "Why'd you drop me like that?"

He shrieks again, along with several others who see me. "Fishman!" He shouts. "It's a fishman! Or fishwoman... I don't know!"

"Yeah, so what!?" I shout back.

The rest of the crowd bursts into similar fear and disgust. "A fishwoman!?" Someone yells. "What's it doing on land?" Comes another. "It fell out of the sky; does it think it's a bird?"

_Wha… what the hell?_ "Y-Ya'll ain't serious, right?" I stammer. Someone throws their food at me and I barely move my head out of the way. "This is a joke, right!?"

"Get back to the water where you belong, you damned fish!" Comes a repulsed voice, followed by a tin can hitting me in the shoulder. I try and guard from their projectiles with my tentacles as another person throws their food at me. "Eww, it's got tentacles! Disgusting!" I stammer for words, unable to get anything out, too staggered by the situation.

"Oi, you!" The middle-aged man whose cart is now in pieces growls. "You filthy creature! I'll have your head for this damage! Who do you think's gonna pay for all this!?" He yells.

"You can't talk with them!" Someone sneers. "They've got the brains of a fish!" He laughs. Several join in.

Finally finding my voice again, I reach into the bottom of my lungs and scream "What the hell's wrong with you!? Ain't ya'll s'pposed to be civilized people!?"

Just then, the first rays of the sun pierce through the trees and immediately a searing pain burns into my skin where the light touches. I cry out in pain and fall to my knees and the crowd only laughs. My back is ablaze, on fire. _Goddamn it Aki, move! Just get out a' here!_ I pick myself up despite my own flesh sizzling, burning up, and stagger away from the hateful crowd, who are all glad to move out of the way, keeping as much distance as they can. They boo and jeer as I limp away, shouting names and insults so venomous even I wouldn't dare use them myself. I look back, but the sun is behind them, and it pierces a blinding pain into my eyes the moment I turn around. A thought comes to me. _No… it can't be! _With haste I find the nearest thing to hide behind, a tall brick wall, and get it between me and the glaring sunrise. Immediately the burning stops, though the aching still flows throughout my body. A few yards away, hanging from the wall, is an electric lamp lighting the area. I take a couple breaths, then shrinking over to it, look down at the ground in dread, and am horrified by what I find. _No… NO! It's exactly… it's exactly what happened to Brook! _Between my feet, on the dusty dirt path where my shadow should lie, is absolutely nothing. Not a single speck of darkness lay.

I hear the crowd behind me. They sound like they're gearing for a lynching. "Don't let it get away!" Someone shouts. "Teach it what happens when it gets out a' line!" The crowd cheers in response, bloodthirsty. _This is bad. This is seriously bad! What do I do!?_ I look forward, then back, then forward again. _If I stay here, they'll surely kill me! But if I venture out into the sunlight, I'll still be killed! Won't I? _I look down at my arm, where the sun's rays scorched it. The normal lilac-pink color has been burned a deep purple, and it hurts awfully. _It didn't disintegrate my body immediately… maybe I can manage to run from shade to shade, till I find somewhere more permanent to hide. The ocean oughta be safe enough, right?_ I do a quick scan of the area, but cannot spot the coast. _Well, it shouldn't be too far. _The crowd is nearing. "It went this way!" I gulp. _No choice but to make a run for it…_

Bracing myself, I dash out into the creeping sunlight, making for the shade of one of the gigantic trees on the island. Immediately, my entire body flares up in pain, and I falter for a moment, but press on, bearing it. "There it is, officer!" Someone shouts. I don't need to look behind to know the mob has spotted me. And from the sounds of it, they've now got the law on their side. The sun burns too much. My steps are shaky, fragile. _Almost there… if I can just make it to that tree…!_

I trip, falling face first into the grass and dirt. "It's down!" Someone exclaims. _No! Have to… get up!_ I try to stand, but only fall to the ground again. With horror, I look back at my feet, only to find they have completely vanished, burned away to nothing. I fall into a shock so terrible I can't even summon the breath to scream. The horrible pain of my skin melting away has vanished, too much for one mind to process as my limbs disintegrate into dust. Something in me makes me move, some primal instinct to survive; I crawl pathetically across the grass like a wounded animal.

A boot stomps on one of my tentacles, pinning me to the ground. I look up to see who the foot's attached to: a gruff, hefty, bearded man in a Marine uniform, wielding a large baton in one hand. "Lookie what I found 'ere." He snarls. "Trying to slither away? Yer just like a squid, ain't ye?" He raises the baton up high and crashes it down upon my head. Amidst all the blinding agony of the sun I don't even feel the blow. My vision muddles and my ears ring. I can see the blurs of the crowd gathering around me as my body continues to fade away. "What's happening to it?" Says a distorted voice. "Who cares!? It's what it gets for coming up on land! Fish should stay in the water where they belong!"

I want to resist, I want to fight back, but my body no longer responds to me. I've lost it. _I lost everythin'. This is the end. I bet you're laughin' your ass off right now, ain't you Bellamy? I'm going out just like you said. Died on some no-good island full of racist humans, with nothin' to show for it. Damn it! _All the thoughts I can muster are of anger, of sadness, and of regret._ How ironic, that I should go like this – in a blaze a' flame. Is this what it felt like for you as well? I know it ain't much but… I'm so sorry, everyone. I… I couldn't do what I promised I would! I couldn't avenge you… Will you… will you forgive me? I tried! I devoted my life to it!_ _Mom, Dad… I still remember you. Every day. Madam Natsu, I can't tell you how much I miss you. You really were my best friend. I'm sorry so for what I did to you. You too, Haru- actually, no… you're still an asshole. Sorry, buddy. _I find myself laughing in my mind as my vision finally begins to fade to black_. I guess... in the end… I really was just one foolish girl up against the world. Dang… what a life this was._


	36. Chapter 36

(Author's Note: I am aware a big contradiction with the canon timeline arises in this chapter. My apologies. If you don't notice it however, then feel free to ignore this note!)

* * *

**Thirty Six – On the Run! Surviving Sabaody Archipelago**

I was so sure I would die, then and there. Almost every ounce of me had resigned to an early, unfulfilled death.

But today is not my day.

My vision returns to me, as does my hearing, as do all my limbs and all my strength. The pain that stung so fiercely it was too much for my mind to even process has vanished. Here I am, alive.

The angry mob still surrounds me, but they are all ghost-white, pale with fear. I can hear their hushed voices. "What happened?" "Its limbs grew back!" I get back on my feet. I'm surprised as well, but I think I know what happened. I look to the west, down at the ground, and with great satisfaction see my shadow, long and stretched from the low sun, right where it ought to be.

I take in a deep breath, tasting the air, then look down atop the heads of the crowd. They shudder as my gaze meets theirs. I spot the man who clubbed the side of my skull, the marine; even he is terrified. The pain of the blow is still there, though diminished. "That hurt, you know." I snarl menacingly, cracking my knuckles. His eyes grow wide with fright. "I think I owe you one." Faster than he can react I bring my right fist back, then plow it into the side of his face. He topples over, spiraling to the ground, splatters of blood flying from his face.

A woman shrieks, and like a trigger, the rest of the mob follows suit, screaming and fleeing for their lives. "Fishman on the loose!" "Someone notify the Marines!"

"You dirty monster!" A man growls. He and two others have the guts to stay and oppose me. He swings a metal pipe at me, but I easily grab it with a hand and hold tight. The other two come at me as well, wielding a plank of wood and a shovel, but I snatch those with my tentacles just as easily.

I bend my head down close to the first assailant, lowering my voice to a tone of coercion. "You really wanna tangle with me?" I say, leering. I rip the weapons out of the hands of his two friends, and toss them far away. All three then join the frightened masses, fleeing in terror. I let out a relieved sigh. _Best find someplace to hide, let this blow over._

With no coast immediately in sight, I instead head up into the trees. The monstrously large tree I had tried to make a break for before is nearby, so I decide to climb up there, and wait things out. The people down below are all in a hurry to find me at first, but after a while, with their fishwoman prey nowhere to be seen, they give up, or so it seems. _Probably reckon I escaped to the ocean. I __**should**__ do just that, but I need to know just where in the ocean I am. _The branches in the canopy, fortunately, are thick and cluttered enough that I can use them as bridges to travel throughout the island. Doing so, I quickly discover that this is not one island, but many, all clustered together. In fact, I hypothesize that they may not even be islands at all. In the center of every one is one of the massive trees, and each of those trees has a large number emblazoned into it; I think this may be nothing but a number of gigantic water-growing trees that people have settled on. _That might explain the bubbles everywhere._

Those 'people' are the problem, however. _I ain't never seen a place so racist before, though…_ _Gah! If only I still had my disguise with me. _I don't even have a proper shirt – just a top made out of bandages from when Lola's medic patched me up, covering up just my torso.

I wait until night before descending back down to the island, to a less populated area. The tree I climb down is marked "13". I only spy one structure, a small building atop a tall hill. The lights are on – someone's home. _It's a dirty tactic, but I gotta get the info out of whoever's in there. _Keeping as quiet as I can manage, I make my way towards the building's entrance. A sign above it says "Shakky's Rip-Off Bar". _A bar? This might be a bit tougher; folks here are probably used to rough customers._ Sneaking around the side of the house, ducking underneath a window, avoiding fallen, crunchy leaves, I hear a couple people inside, talking casually. Flattened against the building, I inch up closer to the front door to hear what they're saying.

"By the way, Shakky," a man's deep voice says, "sounds like you've got someone prowling about outside, or at least a very light-footed customer."

_Spotted! Someone's got a sharp ear!_ Wasting not a moment I charge in, swinging open the saloon double doors violently. A split-second scan of the place reveals two people: a middle-aged woman behind the bar smoking a cigarette, and a well-built old man with snow-white shoulder-length hair and small round glasses sitting in a cushioned seat near where I stand. At his table is a half-emptied bottle of alcohol; I immediately snatch it with a tentacle, smash it on the table and hold the sharp, broken edge up to the man's neck. "Don't move or the old man gets it!" I say in my best intimidating manner. Neither of them move, but it's not out of pure fear that they are still, instead it seems that they're not even taking me seriously. The man has a smile on his face, like I'm a child waving a wooden sword. The woman stifles a giggle. "You think I'm jokin'!? I'm serious!" I shout, pointing an index finger at the woman, then at the man whose neck I've still got a deadly serrated edge up against.

"Miss." The old man says. "I don't think you want to do that."

I turn to him. "Who the hell you think you are, old man, givin' orders to me at a time like this?"

His smile remains, but his eyes form a glare. "I said… I don't think you want to do that." At that moment, a great feeling of dread enters into me, a mixing of emotions, feelings, and thoughts all threatening to engulf me, burying themselves into my very soul. _This man… this is… this is someone… dangerous! I can barely even stand to be in his presence…!_

He calmly grabs the broken bottle out of my tentacle and lays it on the table. I stagger back a few steps, nearly fall, and grip my head to keep awake. Everything in me wants a reprieve, to pass out from this overwhelming force, to hide in subconsciousness, but I won't allow it. _I… I can't! I can't let myself pass out here! Not in this place, this island…_

"I'm surprised to see a fishwoman above water here in Sabaody." The old man says.

The woman blows a puff of cigarette smoke towards the ceiling. "She chose the wrong place to barge into though, picking a fight with the strongest man in the archipelago."

The old man laughs. "Now now, Shakky – don't kid!" He turns to me. "Still, I'm surprised you're standing after that. You must have some will in you; most people would've been knocked out cold."

The powerful force having almost entirely vacated from me, I find my voice again. "'People'?" I stutter.

The old man puts a hand to his ear "Hmm? What's that?"

"You… called me a person… not a… a fish or somethin'." I say. "You ain't like the others here?"

He laughs again. "Is that what this is all about? No, no! I harbor no ill will against your people." 'Your people'. I've heard only a very small handful of humans refer to fishfolk in that manner before. With everyone else it's always 'your kind' or 'your species'. Hell, I even use those terms myself. The only other man who spoke like this was one who had my utmost respect and admiration. _I feel… like I can trust this one, too._ "Come, have a seat. Let's talk, shall we? I'm always up for a chat with a pretty girl." He waves a hand towards a different seat, one that isn't wet with spilled drink.

"What he means is he's an old pervert with a fondness for young ladies." The woman comments. The man clears his throat, feigning ignorance. "And don't worry about that mess, I'll clean it up."

I take a seat, glad to be off my feet, but still suspicious of this couple. The old man sits across from me and leans his elbows on the table. "So, you from Fishman Island? Come up to see the Park?"

"N-No, that ain't it." I answer. "I never been to Fishman Island before."

The man is surprised. "Never been there? Where are you from, then? If you don't mind me asking?"

My gaze is downcast. "I do… actually. Sorry, I don't like to go into my past."

"That's fine. Do you have a name, at least?"

"Aki Sinagra." I tell him. "Though, just 'Aki' is fine."

"Rayleigh." He replies, extending a hand in friendship. "Though, just 'Ray' is fine." With hesitance I take it, and we shake hands. "So then, what's a fishgal like yourself doing in Sabaody Archipelago? This is probably the most unfriendly place there is for your people."

"I noticed that…" I tell him, thinking back to my unfortunate means of arriving here "…the hard way."

"Ouch, sorry to hear that. The old prejudices run deep here. You weren't roughed up too badly, were you?"

"Nah." I lie. "Truth be told, I don't even know why I'm here. I doubt you'd believe me if I told you how I arrived."

"Try me." Says the old man. "I've been on some pretty crazy adventures in my day. It'd take a lot to surprise me."

I decide to tell him. I tell him of the Straw Hats, how they let me onboard their ship at Water Seven with the intent of traveling to Fishman Island, and how we got lost in the Florian Triangle and ended up at Thriller Bark. I tell him how the villains managed to capture me and steal my shadow, and how I was sent flying with Perona over the seas, until I lost my grip and fell to this place, Sabaody Archipelago.

"My… that **is **quite a tale." He says, once I've finished. _Old man, it ain't even half the crazy things I been through since settin' out to sea. "_So ol' Kuma got you, huh? Wonder what he's up to with that scoundrel Moriah?"

"You know them?" I ask.

"Heard of them, at least. But who hasn't? They're both members of the Shichibukai." He changes the subject. "You said you're headed down to Fishman Island?"

I nod. "There's someone…" _How should I say this? _"…I plan to meet there."

"Well, you're at the right place. Sabaody's only a few leagues away from the Red Line itself, and Fishman Island's all the way down at the bottom of it, ten-thousand meters below the surface.

_The Red Line… That means I'm close to…_ I try not to think about that. "Ten-thousand you say? How's anyone get down there?"

"Well, for us humans it's quite an ordeal. We have to have a ship, first of all, and it has to be coated in the tree sap that forms here at Sabaody. That's my trade, by the way – I'm a coating mechanic. For your people however, it's as simple as a swim, if you know where to go. Tell you what – I know a guy who makes runs between here and Fishman Island regularly. I believe he's in town now actually, or at least nearby. I could ask him to guide you there next time he goes down, if you wish." _Seriously!? Lucky!_

"Hold on." Interrupts the woman, leaning against the bar table with a smoking cigarette in hand. "Before you're going anywhere, you owe me a bottle of Pucci bourbon."

"Right! Ah… sorry about that." I apologize, embarrassingly. I reach behind me for my bag, but grasp only air. _What? Don't tell me it's…?_ I stand up, and look behind me. _Gone!_ _All my things! My keepsake! My money! That Devil's Fruit! _"No!" I exclaim. "They done stoled it when they captured me!" The woman is none too pleased to hear this. Still I try to reason with her. "I… don't reckon you'd be willin' to let this one little thing slide… would you?" I smile.

Coldly, she replies "Not a chance."

I groan. "Am I workin' for you tomorrow to pay it off, then?"

"Oh, much longer than that. That bottle was priced at three hundred thousand Berries."

"Three hundred-!" I exclaim. "What drink is worth that much!?"

"And you're not letting her leave until it's all paid." She says to Ray.

The old man laughs, but in his eyes I can see just a tinge of pity. "You didn't think this was called 'Shakky's Rip-Off Bar' for nothing, did you? Don't worry, Aki. If it's safety from the rest of the island you're concerned about, there won't be a hand laid on you in this place, I can guarantee you that."

That isn't what has me down, but I don't say a word, instead only submitting to their will._ I think I preferred my luck with the angry mob to this__…_


	37. Chapter 37

**Thirty Seven – All or Nothing! The Ultimate Gamble**

I spend that night in a guest cot. My legs dangle over the edge, but it's still a fantastic sleep, after fighting zombies, being whisked across the ocean, getting attacked by an angry mob, nearly dying… you know, the usual. Just before noon the next day, Shakky wakes me up for a day of work, helping her around the bar, taking people's orders and bringing them their drinks and what-not. _Of all the things… I never had much in the way a' ambitions for myself, but if I did, bein' a waitress'd certainly be near the bottom of the list._

"Won't it be a problem if people see a fishwoman workin' in here?" I ask.

"We'll just have to disguise you, then. You did the same before, didn't you?" She replies.

"Yeah… but I don't have it with me…"

"Well, we can come up with something. Here," she says, fishing through a drawer, then handing me a conical white hat and pair of gloves out of them. "The hat is from an island I visited in East Blue during my pirating days. It should work well enough to cover up your head."

"You was a pirate?" I ask, looking at the hat. It's very skillfully sewn together and embroidered.

She nods. "Ray and I both were. The gloves belonged to a good friend of mine. He was a fishman, so they'll fit over your hands just nicely." I try them on, and sure enough, they do slip on perfectly. I move my fingers about in them. It's a strange feeling; I've never worn gloves before. "Also," Shakky begins, holding a sky blue ribbon, "tie your tentacles back with this."

I'm taken aback. "Eh? Tie 'em back?"

Shakky sighs. "Do I have to do everything?" Before I know it she turns me around and grabs ahold of all my tentacles. Instinctively, I start squirming them around, trying to break out of her grip. "Hold still, will you?" She wraps the ribbon around all of them near their ends and ties them tight. It's extremely uncomfortable and I make sure she knows that. "Well, you'll just have to deal with it. You may have been able to fool others, but folks here are more perceptive. If you go waving those things around, people will figure out what's up immediately." _Great_. _Guess I got no choice but to try and ignore it. I don't even wanna know how silly I look with this._ Shakky puts a hand to her chin and thinks for a moment. "Hmm… I ought to have you wear a dress or something cute to attract customers."

A chill runs up my spine. "NO! No, no, no! I ain't wearin' no damn dress!"

She scoffs at my response. "You're probably too tall anyway…" I hear her mumble. "Well, put **something** on at least." She throws me a white, long-sleeved shirt similar in style to the hat. _It's a little… frilly… but I guess it'll do. _"I guess you don't wear make-up, do you?" I gag loudly. "Didn't think so."

For all the silly preparation, the bar doesn't see many customers. When the first comes in, I'm scared stiff he'll figure me out, but he doesn't give me any more than a quick look-over. "Ye hired some help, Shakky?" The man says as he takes off his black pea coat and finds a seat.

"Something like that." Shakky answers from behind the bar. "Take his order, will you Aki?" I give the man a quick glance. _My skin color don't throw you off? Well, whatever._

The next several days proceed without **too** much incident. Some question my hat, many question my height, and all question Shakky's prices. A number refuse to pay her outrageous sums, and that's when I get to shine. She's ready to beat the tar out of them herself, but I insist I do the honors. I need to let off some steam anyway. Life is still relatively calm working for her, even when it gets dark and business picks up a little bit – and by that I mean three customers instead of one or two. The wound on my back is doing a swell job of healing as well; neither Ray nor Shakky are well-versed in the medical arts, but simply bandaging a wound and keeping it clean isn't hard.

One night at midnight, when not a single person has walked through the doors for over an hour, Ray convinces Shakky to close up early; he says he wants to take me somewhere.

"Ever been gambling?" He asks me, as we leave the bar into the cool night air, strolling from island to island.

"Not for money, no." I answer.

"Well, you might want to change that attitude if you want to leave for Fishman Island anytime soon. Quick way to make money gambling is."

"Or lose it…" I mumble.

"I heard that. If you go into a game with that kind of attitude you've already lost." He reprimands. "When it comes to gambling it's all or nothing! There is no middle ground!"

"Oh? And where'd you hear that?"

"You don't think I made it up myself?" _No, not really._ "An old friend of mine – that was his way of life. 'You'll never get far if you keep second-guessing yourself, Ray.' he'd always say."

"He sounds like a lot like someone I know as well. Get you into trouble as well?"

Ray laughs quietly. "All the time. I didn't mind it, though. That's what nakama do, you see: like each other for their strengths, but love each other for their faults."

I ponder on his words for a time as we walk in silence through the archipelago. After passing through a couple more islands, I ask "So what happened to him? He still around?"

The old man's eyes veer down a bit, as he shakes his head gently from side to side. "No, he passed away some time ago."

"Sorry to hear that."

"Don't be." Ray answers. "He died with a smile on his face. That's all that matters." He looks up. "Ah, here's the place." I glance at the place. A slightly run-down area of town with some shady characters lurking about, I suppose this **is** the kind of place an ex-pirate would go to gamble. When we enter the musty old building, the hall is full of cigarette smoke and the smell of alcohol. I count seven people: a bartender, a man passed out drunk at the bar, a young couple in one corner lounging, the woman a hired night by her looks, and three men at a table playing cards, one fat, one skinny, and one somewhere in the middle, oddly-shaped. The men at the table are armed: each has a cutlass at his side. I can't tell if anyone else is.

"Oi, Ray! That ye? Come to lose more money? Bahaha! " The fat man laughs in a groggy old voice. "And 'ho's this? Got yerself a wench for the night, 'ave ye? A bloody tall one, at that."

I want to slug the fat bastard, but Ray simply laughs instead. "Just a friend this time. A friend who might be up for a few games herself."

"I never said nothin', you wily, old fart." I grumble.

The fat man laughs again, ending it with a smoker's cough. "That so, lassie? Well, the more the merrier! More losers makin' my wallet all the merrier, that is! Bahaha!

"You in next round then, Ray?" The skinny man says, his voice like the hissing of a snake.

"Of course." Ray responds. "Deal me in!"

They shoot a glance my way, as if to ask the same. "I'll watch for a spell, learn how to play the game." I say, a satisfying enough answer.

It turns out to be the same game I played with Joey when I was with the Fang Frogs: Alabastan Mousespin. They have a couple strange house rules, but I understand it well enough. Once a few rounds have passed, and I can see that Ray isn't doing so great, I decide to join in. The three men try to hide demeaning grins; I pretend not to notice. I decide to start small, testing the waters.

"Aki!" Ray exclaims. "What happened to 'all or nothing'?"

I look at him inquisitively. "Givin' advice to your opponent?" I say. "No wonder you're losin', old man." Everyone has a laugh at that and we start the game. The rounds go up and down like rolling waves. I lose some money on the first round as expected, but gain my bearings by the third round, and by the fifth I've broken even.

"Yer getting' better at this I can tell, lassie." The fat man says, a strange mix of admiration and belittlement in his voice. "Shame the one what brought ye 'ere can't say the same. We rob this old fool every week, don't we, boys?" The skinny man and the misshapen fellow both emit a guttural laugh.

"Oh, you just wait," Says Ray. "I'll see my comeback!"

"He says this every time." Whispers the skinny man to me. His breath reeks of onions and fish. "Don't change a thing though."

Two more rounds and I've got a little more money than I came in with, so I decide to call it quits for the night. They protest, but I don't give in to their goading.

"At least wait for me to finish up here." Says Ray.

"That won't take long!" The fat man guffaws.

"Don't expect me to bail you out." I say. He only laughs. "I'm goin' outside to get me some fresh air." I grab my winnings, stand up and walk outside, and fresh air is exactly what I find. After spending over an hour in that dirty building, the breezy nighttime atmosphere feels fantastic. I want to untie this stupid ribbon and stretch out my limbs, but of course I know what a dumb idea that would be. There's an old wooden chair by the building; I sit down in it and watch the birds scrounging about in the streets for specks of food. _Shame this is such a rotten place – the landscape's pretty._

My bird-watching is interrupted however, several minutes later, by the trio of gamblers, bursting through the front door of the pub, all with scowls on their faces. Spotting me, their faces shift towards malicious grins. "Some turn of events," the fat one says, "findin' out you's a fishwoman."

I stand up swiftly, surprised. I take a quick moment to choose the best response, then trying to stay calm answer "And just how'd you figure that out?"

"I 'ad a feelin' from the get-go. No 'uman girl I ever seen's over eight feet tall and 'as skin your shade." _Damn it, I knew this disguise wasn't enough. It's only a miracle the thing lasted me as long as it did._ "Plus, that ain't 'air behind your 'ead, is it?"

_No point in keepin' it hidden it now. _I let loose my tentacles, snapping the ribbon off. I hear the skinny man comment under his breath. Something about "nasty". "So what you gonna do, then? Call the marines?" I say. "I ain't here to pick a fight or make a statement or nothin'; I ain't even that proud of bein' fishfolk to be honest. So how about you forget you saw me and I run off then, hm?"

He spits on the ground. "I don't give a damn about yer feelin's, fishie. I plan on catchin' ye, of course." He pulls out his cutlass and tosses the sheath aside, as do his two associates. "Fishwomen are a rare find on the slave market – ye'll fetch a pretty penny, ye will." _Slavery? They got slavery here!? This is a bustlin' city of the World Government, not some lawless town on the frontier!_

I assume a fighting stance. "If you reckon you'll have me without a fight, you got another thing comin'."

The fat man laughs. "If ye brawl as well as ye play cards, ye shouldn't be too much of a problem." He taunts, coughing in between words. "Get 'er, boys!"

His two associates each run at me, circling around from opposite sides, attempting to flank me. _No problem. _I choose to clash with the skinny one first, and move in towards him. Before he can begin the arc of his attack, I lunge in towards him, grab his sword arm at the wrist, then step into his stance and in one movement, kick out his footing and jab into his neck. He falls to the ground, gasping for breath. His misshapen comrade thinks this the prime opportunity to strike, but I've got him in my sights as well, even if he doesn't realize it. He wields his mighty blade in both hands, which he brings up high to slash across my backside, but fortunately for me, my backside is just as well armed as my front. I lash out with a number of tentacles at him, grabbing him at his arms, his neck, and his waist, then once I've got his friend on the ground, I swing the misshapen man around in a circle, then let go, sending him skidding across the ground and into the front porch of a nearby building, snapping a support beam with the collision.

I then turn to their fat leader. He looks shaken at the swift defeat of his henchmen, but still determined and ready. "Ye little wench!" He growls. "Shoulda known. Ye may be a woman, but yer still fishfolk. Yer all a bunch of rowdy types, aintcha?"

"Yeah, we are." I growl back and charge at him. He readies his blade. Despite his weight, his stance is sound. _He's a better swordsman than his flunkies. I need to be careful._ The very moment I'm in range, he moves the position of his sword and slices at me. I just barely dodge the attack, the blade's edge no more than an inch from my elbow. Before I can counter however, he continues with another attack, and another, and another, and I am forced on the defensive. His swordsmanship is more precise, more fluid than I imagined it would be. I patiently wait for the right opportunity, but he doesn't give me one. He's too good for that. So I give him one instead, or at least I pretend to. Backing away from his attacks, I pretend to trip and fall backwards. Falling for the bait, or perhaps impatient with the neverending dance of combat our fight has become, he brings his blade downward upon me, hoping for a finishing strike.

But I catch myself. With my tentacles, I push myself against the dirt, back upwards and grab his arm with my hand, then force his sword to the ground with a loud clang against the rock path. Calling forth a great amount of strength into my other fist, I punch directly into the flat of his blade, shattering in two. I expect that to be the end of that, but the fat man wastes no time being shocked by my display of raw power. Knowing his weapon destroyed, he immediately pulls out a matchlock pistol and fires.

The spherical bullet buries itself into my shoulder, and I fall to the ground with a cry of pain. I immediately push myself up, but the man points the gun directly at my forehead and I freeze. "Shoulda just done this from the start, I reckon. Wouldn't 'ave gotten me blade all busted up. Now then, why don't ye make this easy and give up, eh little fishie? I don't like the idea of killin' me prize, but if ye keep resistin'…"

Growling, gritting my teeth, I don't know how to react. _I overestimated this chump... Damn it, what do I do now? Is he serious? Slavery? I ain't gonna give myself up to such a horrible life! But what can I do!? He's fixin' to shoot me if I don't… and he ain't gonna miss somethin' vital this time… he'll kill me! If only… if only there was someone I could-_

"Ray!" I shout, suddenly remembering the one I came here with. "Where the hell are you!?"

The fat man's grisly eyebrows raise. "Ray?" He says. "Bahaha! 'E can't 'elp ye now! I've already bought 'im up!" Ray appears as if on cue, from out of the pub.

"B-Bought?" I stutter. "Ray, what's he mean? What's he talking about?"

Ray ejects a soft sigh. "Sorry, Aki. I didn't do so well that last game."

"But…!"

The fat man laughs again. "The old fool up and bet 'is life, 'e did! And 'e still lost!"

"You WHAT!?" I yell. Ray shrugs, giving that same smile he always keeps on his face.

"An' after that," the fat man continues, "I forced 'im to confirm me suspicions about ye. An old man like 'im won't fetch much of a price, but ye, my little fishie, yer going to keep me fed for a long time, ye are."

"Like hell I will!" I spit, but as soon as I do, one of the fat man's two goons (I don't know which) comes up behind me and clubs me over the back of the head with the force of a battering ram, knocking me out like a lamp.


	38. Chapter 38

**Thirty Eight – In Chains and Shackles! Slavery's Total Victory**

When I come to, I can't tell if I am awake or still dreaming; everything is hazy and unorganized, as dreams often are. The first sense to be awakened is of touch, of cold concrete against my forehead, and metal against my neck, and pain in my shoulder. Then, sound: the soft clinking of chains, the sterile, almost inaudible hum of a large room. It is only then that I realize I've regained consciousness. _How… how long've I been out…?_ Stubbornly, I push myself up to my knees. Opening my eyes, I discover just where I am: a jail. Metal bars cage off one solitary, wide prison cell, while on the other side are doors out of here. It is then that I notice the rings. Clamped tightly around my neck is a thick metal ring, and from one end is a chain, dangling about on the floor. Around my wrists are similar shackles, chained together so I can't separate them from one another.

"Th-the hell is this?" I groan.

"Same thing we all got." Comes a deep voice from above. I look behind me to see a number of people, all chained similarly, all bearing downtrodden looks on their faces of defeated men and women. But where the voice came from was a giant, sitting ten times taller than I stand, towering above everyone. I've never seen a giant before, and am surprised to discover just how large one really is.

"Don't tell me…" I gasp. "I got captured…?"

"Bingo." Grumbles the giant.

_**Hell** no. I'm gettin' this thing off of me, then gettin' the hell out a' here!_ I try to move my tentacles, but find they too have been bound together. _Damn it! They don't take no chances, do they?_ I squat down low and summon all my might, trying to pull my shackles apart. I strain my muscles to their limit, and it feels like I'm making just the tiniest bit of progress, but I can't tell.

"I wouldn't do that." Says the giant.

I calm down, taking a breath. "And why is that?"

"That ring on your neck – it's got an explosive device inside. If any slaves wearing one escape, all it takes is the press of a button and boom."

I gulp. _They __**really**__ don't take no chances. _"There's a key somewhere, right?"

"Sure, but how would you get it?"

I ponder for a moment. "I'll just have to force my way outta here, and then… then hold one of the workers or someone hostage until they give it up."

"Would you give it a rest, fish?" Someone else moans. "You're not getting out."

"Says you!" I yell. "I won't know unless I try!" I lift up the heavy metal shackle constraining my tentacles, and smash it against the metal bars of the cells. The clang is deafening, and the vibration rattles through my body like electricity, but I do it again, swinging my tentacles around in a circle to gain momentum, then smashing it against the bars. I stop to catch my breath and see if I'm making any damage, and to my delight, there is a slight indentation in the bar. "Hey! Help me out here, would you, big fella? With our strength combined we can smash these bars and get!" The giant doesn't respond. No one does. They all avert their gaze from me. "What's wrong? Don't ya'll wanna get out a' here?"

"What's all the noise back here!?" A voice yells from the opposite side of the cage. From one of the doors comes a guard, or at least I assume he's a guard. _Do guards normally dress like clowns?_ "You there, fish! The hell d'you think you're doing?"

"You the bastards that locked me up?" I growl.

"What, ye got a problem with it, fish?" The man snarls.

I'm about to get in his face and resist, but a rare selfless thought enters my mind. _The rest of the folks here – lots of 'em look like they can't fight. If I start trouble now, I might get 'em caught in it. Maybe even killed.._"Maybe, maybe not." I respond, calming my voice down to a casual level. "Maybe I'm just rememberin' faces." I sneer.

"Remembering…?" The man stutters. "Tch. Creepy-ass fish. You'll get what's coming to you after we sell you." I sit down cross legged, biding my time, thinking, formulating, and planning just how to escape here. _If this is a slave market, then they gotta take me out a' here to sell me eventually. I can still threaten a life chained up like this._

Only a couple minutes later, I hear voices from the door again, but this time there are multiple ones, a female voice among them, and from the sound of it she's the latest captured. "Let go of me!" She cries. _She's young. A teenager maybe?_

"Quit squirming or you're gonna get hurt!" One of the guards handling her reprimands. When they come into sight, I see three clown-garbed men and in their arms, thrashing madly, a young woman with short sea-green hair, but below her waist are not legs but a pink-scaled tail. _M… Mermaid!? And a drop-dead gorgeous one at that!_

I immediately stand up and shout "You three! What are you doin' to her? Unhand her!"

I've got the attention of everyone now, even the mermaid. One of the guards walks my way and bangs his baton against the bars of the cage. "Same thing we're gonna do to you, fish! Now keep quiet!"

Mine and the mermaid's eyes meet for a moment. I find myself blushing. _Mermaids… they… they __**are**__ beautiful! __**Too**__ beautiful!_ A burst of heroic passion boils inside of me. "You're monsters, all ya'll! Imprisonin' one as lovely and innocent as this young woman here! Why, if I was loose, I'd tear you limb from limb!"

One of the guards holding down the mermaid, the same one that came in here earlier, lets go of her tail and stomps towards the cell. "That's it! I've had about all I can stand of your mouth! I'm gonna teach your lesser race its place in the world, you damn fish!" _Alright, here we go. Come on in here, you idiot, and we'll see just who's the 'lesser race' then._

"Not that one." A gentle voice says. From the other door leading out walks a skinny man in a navy blue trench coat with wavy grey hair falling from his head onto his back. His hands clasped behind his back, his demeanor suggests a calm, composed person. _Or one completed dulled to the atrocities here. _"The fishwoman's too important to be damaged." He says. "Along with the mermaid, they're our top items for tonight's auction. Now then," He squats down to get close to the mermaid, then grabs her by the cheeks and moves her head around, inspecting her like a butcher to a slab of meat. I mean to shout out in protest of his cruel handling, but my tongue gets tied up in my throat. The mermaid struggles, but he lets her go soon enough. "How wonderful! She seems healthy!"

"What about the other one, Mr. Disco?" says one of the guards, "the fishwoman?"

"Oh, I've already inspected her." The calm man answers. "She's incredibly fit. Little bit of a temper from the sound of things, but what can you do? Fishfolk are like that."

"You…!" I growl, grabbing the bars of the cell tight. "What the hell'd you do to me while I was unconscious!? Answer me!" My words come through heavy, infuriated breaths.

The man walks towards me, and as soon as he's within arm's length, his calm exterior suddenly switches to rage. He swings his fist back and plants a fist directly into my face through the bars. "You damn fish! Know your place!" He storms. I don't flinch from his punch at all.

When he removes his fist and shakes the pain out of it, I grin pompously at him through a bloodied nose and taunt "I thought I was 'too important to be damaged'."

His anger just gets worse, but that's just what I want. "Why you…!" He growls. "You still have the nerve to talk back to me! Well we'll see how you like getting one of those nasty tentacles of yours burned off!" He reaches for something out of his coat, but as soon as he does, his entire figure freezes, as if all his muscles decide to lock up at once, and he falls to the ground like a statue toppling over. _What…? What just happened to him?_ One of the guards immediately tries to revive him, while the other continues to hold the mermaid down, who is just as confused as I am.

"Oi." I hear the giant whisper. "That was you, wasn't it, old man?"

_"Old man"…?_ I turn back towards the giant and spot a figure sitting aside him I hadn't noticed was there before. As soon as I see his snow-white hair and tiny round glasses, I instantly recognize him. "I don't know what you're talking about." Ray says. "I'm just an old fella with a fondness for the ladies, that's all."

"You!" I exclaim and drag my shackles over to him. "This is all your fault! You're the reason I'm in this mess!"

He smiles his always present smile. "Sorry about that. But hey – no use fretting over what's in the past, right?"

I growl at him. _He's right, though. Blowin' up in his face now ain't gonna do me no good._ I sit down on the crate next to him, still filled with anger, but a controlled anger. "So why'd you do it?" I ask. "Why the hell would you bet your own life over a stupid game of cards?"

Ray pulls out a flask of liquor and takes a swig. _How the hell'd you manage to sneak that in?_ Leaning back against the wall, he replies "All or nothing, remember?"

I groan. _Yeah, and look where it got you_. While I was flaming at Ray, the slavers managed to secure a neck ring on the mermaid and caged her up with the rest of us. I leave Ray to whatever his devices are and walk over to where she sits, hoping for at least a little pleasant company. _She seems to be the only other one here who ain't lost her spirit altogether._

When I sit down on the crate next to hers, her expression lightens up a little. "I didn't get the chance to thank you." She says.

"Not a problem in the slightest, Madam." I reply, gracefully. "It's sickenin' what they do here, especially when it's to those as lovely as you are."

The mermaid thinks for a moment. _Yes, yes, ask the question everyone does, Madam. I'm used to it._ "What about you, then?" She says.

"Beg your pardon?"

"You're pretty too, aren't you?"

"Me? Madam, surely you kid, I ain't-" I gasp mid-sentence. _Wait… could this be…? Could she be…!?_

"Sure you are!" She ensures me with a strange, newfound vigor. "And I'm sure someday you'll find a man who thinks the same way!"

My heart shatters. _She's just as clueless as she is adorable… _"Well sadly," I say, "neither of us'll be findin' no one if we don't first find a way outta here."

"That's true." The mermaid sighs. "But don't worry! I have someone coming to save me. I know he'll come!"

"What's his name?"

"Hacchin, and he's one of the strongest fishman ever!

_A fishman? Considerin' this island, Madam, I wouldn't hold out hope for a fishman comin' to your rescue._ "Well, I hope he's as strong as you say he is, Madam, for both our sakes."

"He's got some friends with him, too! A few of them even have Devil's Fruit powers, so I'm sure we'll be okay!"

"Devil's Fruit powers, hm? You know, just before I came to this island I was sailin' with some folks who had those as well. If his friends are anythin' like the people I was with, then they're probably already on their way." I say with a smile, to lift her spirits.

We're quiet for a while, as is everyone in the prison cell. After a time, she sparks a conversation again. "I never did get your name, did I?"

"Oh! Of course, Madam! My apologies! It's Aki Sinagra," I say with a small bow, "but just Aki'll be fine."

"Aki… Aki… Hm… Okay, I'll call you Akkin!" _How'd you come up with that?_ My name's Keimi. So did you come here from Fishman Island as well? I've never seen you before. Are you from Noah?"

"No, no. I ain't never been to Fishman Island before."

She shrieks loudly in surprise, startling everyone in the cell, myself included. "Really!? You've never been there!? That's so weird!" Squinting, she takes a closer look at me. I'm not quite sure exactly why, though. "Ohh!" She finally exclaims. "You're a Stormie, aren't you? That explains it!"

"I… yes, that's right, Madam. I'm born of the Storm Kingdom, but…" I veer my gaze away, "I actually ain't never been there either."

"What!?" She shrieks again. One of the other inmates groans at her to shut up. We both ignore him. "Are you gonna go?"

"Go to where? The Storm Kingdom? I guess. I mean, it'd have to be after I do some other things… and I ain't sure how I'd get there. I don't even know where the place is."

"It's in the New World!" Keimi answers.

"The New World?"

She nods. "That's the second half of the Grand Line, once you pass the Red Line. It's a lot more dangerous than this half… but maybe you could get your friends to take you there! The one you were sailing with?" _Heh, that certainly does sound like a place Monkey'd be dyin' to go to. _"Ah, but… you said some of them had Devil's Fruit powers, didn't you…?"

"I did. Is that a problem?"

She lifts her shackles to put a finger to her chin. "I guess you wouldn't know… The Storm Kingdom has a long history with Devil's Fruits. They don't let anyone who has the powers of one even enter their borders. They were the ones who first discovered sea-stone, as well as giving the Fruits their name, they hate them so much. I don't see why though. I think it's a little weird." She half-gasps. "Oh! But, I guess I should stop talking bad about them since they're your family, huh?"

"It don't bother me none, Madam." I lean back against the wall. "I might travel there someday, but it'll have to wait until after I've taken care a' some business at Fishman Island. I was actually on my way before… things happened." I lift up the shackles on my wrists and tentacles to further my point. "You say that's where you're from?" She nods. "D'you know where if I might find a couple fellas there by the names a'-"

The doors open and out comes Disco, the long haired, split-personalitied, fully recovered from whatever Ray did slavemaster. "Alright, merchandise! Look lively!" He says. My conversation with Keimi is immediately cut short. "Especially you two fishies. You're going to make me a rich man tonight!" He leaves with the first person to be auctioned. The tension in the room gets so thick I can nearly grasp it in my hands. Everyone, even me, has got butterflies the size of albatrosses in their stomach, except for maybe Ray, who seems as cool and collected as always. _Even if the old man don't have a clue what he's doin'._

I can hear a crowd cheering as the Disco gets on stage. "Good day, everyone!" I hear him announce. "We've got quite an excellent selection of slaves for you tonight! But wait! This time you're especially lucky, for we've a spectacular surprise awaiting at the end of the show! Whatever could it be?" He says, heightening the suspense. "As always, the only thing on my mind is making sure everyone here leaves with the slave they've been waiting for! So let's not waste any more time! Let the auction begin!"

I can hear the slavemaster listing off all the traits of the man he brought with him to the stage. A musician by trade, he plans to have him sold off as a personal entertainer. He starts the bidding at four-hundred eighty thousand Berries, and it ends at six-hundred thousand. _A person's life is priceless, but that… that's a pathetic sum. _It only makes me despise this instutition even more. "Right then! On to the next!"

We listen and we wait and we watch, as two by two everyone is led out onto the auction floor. Keimi and I being next to last, it's incredibly nervewracking. Every time they open the door to the prison cell, they make sure I can see they've got the remote detonator to my neck ring firmly in their hand, ready to send my head flying if I start any trouble. One of the two before us, a man who, considering his attire, was most likely a pirate before getting himself captured, begins to freak out, pleading desperately for his life. He'd been shaky the whole time in here, but he's a broken mess now. I can see his terror is spreading to Keimi, who begins to quiver, looking down at her tailfin in fear. I scoot my crate over and rest my hand over hers. "Don't worry. We'll figure somethin' out before this is over." I say. That reassures her somewhat, and she thanks me, wiping a tear from each of her eyes.

Our heartwarming moment is then ended when it's our turn to be corralled off to the stage. "Fishwoman." Says the guard. "Carry her. We've got a special display case for the two of you." _What the hell're they talkin' about?_ I do as they say, seating Keimi in my arms and walking with them out of the cell. I pass Ray a brief glance as I do, and he's got a twinkle in his eye, but whether it's a plan or he's just plain clueless is beyond me. _You've got some power in you old man, so why don't you use it? Don't you care what happens to all these folks?_ We're led to stage right where a giant, spherical glass globe is set, filled to the brim with water. "The both of you are going in there." Orders the clown-guard. "And don't you try any funny business." He warns, pointing to another guard, who's holding the detonator in his hand. _This is going to be trickier than I thought. _

"This really necessary?" I ask. "We can breathe air, you know."

"Just shut up and get in, you filthy fish." He grumbles. I comply, lifting Keimi up and setting her into the tank, then hopping in myself. The coolness feels good to all the wounds I've gathered over the past couple weeks, but the water carries with it a taste of sterility, of lifelessness when it passes through my gills. Keimi buoys herself in the center of the tank while I let myself sink down to the bottom where I lay in wait, thinking. _Looks like we're bein' bundled together; maybe I oughta wait until we're sold, and then try to escape? Get on their good side, make 'em think we'll be obedient, then get 'em while their guard's down and steal our keys? Or maybe… maybe I should call their bluff, see if they'd actually risk killin' us than losin' us. Somehow I get the feeling they wouldn't, especially while we're on stage._

Keimi and I watch the terrified man from before being lead on stage and Disco announcing him. "Here we have – can you believe it? A pirate captain!" The audience sounds excited. _Looks like I was right about that one._ "A wanted man with a bounty of seventeen million Berries – Lacuba the Enduring! He was a pirate famous for his delicate, intricate planning! Ah, but fear not, ladies and gentlemen! He won't be plotting against you should you purchase him! We've tamed him to the docility of a puppy! With his excellent physique, he'd make and excellent worker, transport, or hell – even a punching bag if you wanted!" The ex-pirate captain is frozen with fear. _No… it ain't fear. Something ain't right here._ Blood trickles out of his mouth, and then the man suddenly collapses onto the floor. The audience gasps and Disco whispers hurriedly to his men to close the curtain. "Damn it, that idiot!" He fumes once the curtain has concealed him. "Do you know how much we're going to have to spend on treatment now?"

"Akkin?" Keimi says through the water. The fear in her voice is unquestionable – she's horrified. "What just happened? What just happened to him?" I motion that I can't talk underwater, and she remembers of my heritage. _Sorry Madam, but I dunno if you could handle the shock right now of knowin' that fella just bit his own tongue off to save himself from a life a' slavery._

"The fish are ready, right?" Growls Disco.

"Yes, we're ready to bring them on stage whenever you want us to." Responds a lackey.

"Good! With such a spectacular prize, everyone'll forget about this little… mishap. Bring them out!" They throw a large white cloth over the tank, concealing us from outside sight. _Gah! I wish I had a bit more time to think! Do I follow your lead, old man? Do I go all or nothin'? Or do I wait and watch the game first? I can't decide!_ "Well then! Moving right along! It seems the pirate Lacuba has a little stage fright! He got a nosebleed and passed out!" Some of the audience members laugh. "Don't worry though, we'll have him for sale again next time! However," he raises his voice, "the next item were going to bring out is a super deluxe catch that's sure to make you forget all about this tiny little trouble! Boys, if you would be so kind!" I hear a drumroll, and see through the cloth colored lights beaming everywhere. _They're really playin this up… should I give 'em a show they'll never forget or play it calm?_ The tank is rolled out and Keimi's nervousness grows. Mine does too, but I try not to let it show. "We have for you tonight not just one beautiful lady of the sea, but two! That's right, count them – two! Take a look for yourselves!" He tears off the cloth, and the bright lights of the stage flood my eyes, irritating me terribly for a moment. The hall is large – much larger than I imagined it would be. The seats are packed with at least two hundred people, all of whom look wealthy. Upon seeing our figures in the tank, they all erupt into cheer and applause. "Straight from Fishman Island, the mermaid Keimi and the fishwoman Aki!" _I ain't from Fishman Island, you dumbass!_ _I'm- wait! I was gonna burst out, wasn't I? Cause a scene? _I look out onto the crowd. All of their faces are hungry, greedy, ravenous. _They aren't fazed by this horrible practice at all… will they care? They got over the death of that pirate captain quickly enough; would my commotion be the same?_

Keimi looks out onto the crowd with the same resentment and shock that I do. But then, it changes. Her open-lipped expression of fear shifts to a smile. "Hacchin! And the others! They came!" _He did? Seriously!? Who are these 'others', though? _I float up to Caimie's level and motion for her to show me who she's talking about. She points to the very back of the hall, where behind all the seats are members of the crew I just can't seem to escape: Sanji, Tony Tony, Sir Franky, and… _Mada- I mean… Monsieur Namizou! You… you're here! Well... dang, I dunno what to say! _Part of me is elated to see them here as rescuers, but the other part is hesitant to have to rely on them for help. _I'm still gonna break out, but if ya'll start somethin' I'll be right at your side. _Along with the Straw Hats is a large figure in a coat with a bandage on his forehead. I assume that to be Keimi's would-be savior, in disguise as a fat human. Behind them I even spot that skeleton from Thriller Bark, Brook. I'm not surprised at all to find that he ended up joining them.

"It's been a while since we've had either a mermaid **or** a fishwoman on sale here." Begins Disco. "As a special offer, we're offering both of them for the price of one! Who in the world could possibly resist this magnanimous offer? The mermaid Caimie is a gentle creature, docile and tame. She'll make an excellent addition to any aquarium most certainly! And our second part of the deal, Aki the fishwoman, may be a little rowdy for a girl, but she'll make an excellent bodyguard! Or whatever you wish, really! We don't ask questions!" He and the crowd share a laugh. "Now then, I'm sure everyone here wants to buy them, right! Shall we begin then? Let's start the bidding with-"

"Five hundred million!" An accented voice belonging to no one from the Straw Hats echoes throughout the hall. "I'll buy zem for five hundred million Berries!" I trace the voice down to a front row seat, under an awning, where an extremely nonsensically dressed trio of people sit, undoubtedly a father and his daughter and son. The son is the one who proclaimed the outrageous bid. An obese figure, he looks like a dribbling idiot, the kind of rich asshole who doesn't understand a single thing about people's emotions and buys whatever he wants.

And that just included us. _He… he ain't serious, right? Did the auction end just like that!? _"It would appear that the audience has been rendered speechless." Says Disco. "Well, would anyone like to make a bid higher than five hundred million? If not, then this auction will be unexpectedly brief!" The Straw Hats all look devastated. _You all can't possibly have that much… and I doubt anyone with a sane mind would spend that number anyway just to save a life._ The fishman Hacchin standing next to them is seething with rage. _Is he gonna try somethin'? Should I wait on his cue to break out? _Disco bangs his gavel on the stand twice. "Well that's enough time!" He announces. _Come on, Hacchin, do somethin'! I… I can't bring myself to do this on my own! I can't make that decision right now!_ "The main prize this time, our double item of the mermaid Caimie and the fishwoman Aki," _Is this it? Is this the end for me? A life of slavery? How can I allow that?_ "goes, for the price of five hundred million Berries, to the World Noble, Saint Charlos!" I slam my eyes shut, cursing my own cowardice. _You could whoop anyone you wanted in a fistfight, but you can't do nothin' in the face of money and politics, huh Aki? You're too weak after all._

"And it's a deal!" The sound of the gavel meeting the wooden stand reverberates throughout my ears, and my weakness triumphs, consumes the rest of my life.


	39. Chapter 39

**Thirty Nine – Escape! Demons Resurfacing from the Past**

I open my eyes and wonders never cease: that sound wasn't the gavel coming down. It was Monkey, riding atop some flying vehicle, crash landing directly into the hall. I'm stunned for a moment at the sight, as is Keimi. I think everyone is, really.

Monkey spots the spherical tank. "Keimi! There you are! And… Squid-head!? You're here too!?" He charges down the aisle towards the stage without delay. "Don't worry! I'll get both of you out!"

But he's stopped just as I'm about to smash the tank open and flee. Hacchin grabs his collar from behind. "Nyuu! Wait a minute, Straw Hat! You can't do that!" He cries, desperately trying to stop the rubbery young captain, but Monkey's determination is too great, and the fishman gets dragged down the aisle with him.

"Why not!?" Monkey yells.

"They've still got the exploding rings around their neck! So you can't just take them!"

"Then I'll find the key!"

"But the Celestial Dragons are here as well!"

"Like I care!" Monkey screams.

I faintly hear the crowd murmuring, but I can't make out what they're saying. _Who're these Celestial Dragons? And why d'you fear them so much? _Hacchin's coat opens up, and from it two more pairs of arms grab ahold of Monkey. "Nyuu! Just stop already!" He shouts, finally able to slow him down.

_You idiot! You just dug your own grave! _Sure enough, the people around him fire up in a panic. "Eeek! A fishman!" A woman shrieks. "Look at its arms!" A man says. "That's disgusting!" Startled, Hacchin lets go of the straw-hatted captain and begins to panic himself.

Monkey continues on towards the stage, indifferent or unaware to the fishman's plight. "Keimi! Squid-head! I'm coming!" _As soon as you have them preoccupied, I'm bustin' out of here, Monkey._

But then, the defeaning sound of a gunshot echoes throughout the hall, and everyone, everything stops. All movement comes to a halt. A small moment of silence passes, and then, in the middle of the aisle, Hacchin collapses, blood beginning to pool underneath his body. _He was shot! Who shot him!?_ Monkey turns around slowly to see the gruesome sight, Keimi puts her hands over her mouth in horror, and all the Straw Hats are just as shocked.

"I did it!" Comes the accented voice of Saint Charlos, the man who won the auction. "I shot a fishman!" He's dancing in the aisle, like a child in an adult's body. Keimi flies into a tearful rage, pounding her fists on the glass tank, screaming out Hacchin's name.

"My my. I'm glad he shot it." A woman in the front row remarks. "If it had come any closer, we might've gotten infected by it."

"Definitely trying to start trouble, that one." Says her husband. "After all, they have only the brains of a fish."

Monkey's heard enough. I can tell just by looking at him. He starts to prowl towards the laughing, dancing manchild, pure indignation pouring from his eyes. When he nears Hacchin, the fallen fishman grabs his arm, and holds tight. "W-Wait… Straw Hat…" he wheezes, barely straining the words out. "You can't get upset… you can't direct your anger at that man! If you do… if you do…!"

"Damn fish!" Growls Charlos. "Even after I shot you, you keep on blabbering! Annoying!" He points the gun at Hacchin again, but Monkey immediately shields the fishman with his body. "You…! Vhat's vith zat look of yours!? How dare you look at me, a Celestial Dragon, like zat!"

Monkey's glare doesn't falter a bit. "Sorry, Hacchin." He whispers, and walks towards the man, each step powerful, furious, his fists clenched tight in rage. Fed up with all of this, Charlos fires his gun at him. Monkey doesn't even bother dodging, he knows the shot missed. He fires again, and the young captain moves an inch to let it fly by him. Only a step away, Monkey winds his fist back, then slams it directly into Charlos' fat face with a force to shatter stone, and the manchild is sent crashing through the stands from the blow, mashed into a bloody pulp.

Everyone in the hall is stunned. _This is it!_ I tap Keimi on the shoulder and give her the sign to swim down to the bottom. Once she's down where it'll be safe, I lift up the shackle holding my tentacles together, and crash it into the side of the tank, smashing open a great hole in the glass, and leaping out of it with the escaping water. Some of the shards of glass nick me here and there, and the bullet wound in my shoulder still smarts, but I bear it. I can't waste a moment; I can't even let anyone formulate what just happened. I land on the stage, dash towards the slavemaster, Mr. Disco, and smash the shackles around my hands into his face, then grab his head in between my tentacles and lift him off the ground. "Alright, nobody move!"

Of course, everyone does the exact opposite. The combined attack on this nobleman coupled with the horrible fishwoman's escape sends everyone into a panic, and they all leave their seats and flee for the exits. The rest of the Straw Hats see that as their cue, and make a break towards the stage. The guardsmen out among the audience move to intercept them, but the ones on stage I make sure stay put. "Don't you try a thing! Or I'll squish his head like a grape!"

"Do what she says! Do what she says!" Disco frantically cries.

_There we go…_ "I want the keys to our chains and the remote detonators! Now!" I demand.

Another gunshot. I freeze. _Was it me…? They couldn't have…!_ The blood dripping around my feet isn't mine however, it's Disco's. A bullet pierced directly into his heart. I feel the life fade from his body, and he becomes nothing more than dead weight in my tentacles. The assailant is none other than Charlos' sister, another one of the nobles everyone is so afraid to confront. She stands just offstage, a smoking gun in her hand, a wicked smile on her face. "Charlos alvays does buy stupid sings. You vould've been more trouble zan you're vorth, you disgusting fish." She sneers and cocks the gun, ready to fire again. I curse my ill luck, throw the limp body aside, and make a run for it across stage. The gun fires. Miss. I head for the tank to take cover behind it. The gun fires again. This time, a pain in my leg. I fall to the ground, but just in time to roll behind the tank and hide behind it. She scoffs and me. "Stupid beast! Just lay down and accept your deas at ze hands of your superior beings!" I respond with a word too vulgar to repeat. She gasps and snarls back "Fine, zhen! I'll start vith your partner instead!"

_Partner? No…!_ "Madam Keimi!" I exclaim and get to my feet. She cocks the hammer back. _I won't make it in time!_ I hear the Straw Hats call out her name as well. Her finger pulls back the trigger and…

The woman falls. Her eyes roll back in her head, the gun drops from her hand, and she falls onto the stage. "Princess Sharlia!" One of her guardsmen cries. _What just…?_ I hear a loud crack, and look just in time to see the back wall of the stage split in two, torn apart by two giant hands, followed by a massive frame bursting through. _The giant! He finally came through!_ Below him is a normal-sized figure, cloaked in the dust.

_Is that who I think it is?_ "Ray! That you, you asshole!?" I shout. "Where the hell you been?"

The old man walks out to center stage and gets a good look at everything and everyone. "Why, waiting for the right time to make my entrance of course." He answers. "My, would you look at that, Mr. Giant? The hall is a complete mess, isn't it?"

"Well you certainly took your sweet time! We was almost killed!" I fume.

"Oh? Sorry about that. It looks like the auction is over though, right?" He strokes his beard. "Seeing how I've already stolen some money, it looks like I'll be returning to the gambling hall."

"You're a foul old man, you know that?" The giant comments.

"You mean to tell me you let yourself get captured just so you could steal money?" I fume.

"I was planning on stealing from whoever bought me as well, but that's impossible now. If it's any consolation, I didn't mean to get you wrapped up in all this, Aki." It's then that I, as well as the remaining clown-guards notice that the rings from both Ray's and the giant's neck… _They're gone! How'd they get 'em off? Did they find the keys?_

"Ray… Rayleigh!" Hacchin gasps.

"Hatchan! Is that you?" Ray exclaims, happy to see him. "It's been a while! How'd you get here?" His expression drops. "You're wounded too, I see… I **was** late after all…" He looks around at everything, surveying the situation. "I see… that's what's going on. You've gotten yourself into quite a mess, haven't you Hachi? Well, in that case…" A glare from his eye is all it takes. That same wave of force emanates from the old man, filling the entire hall with energy, and people start to drop like flies. Every guard left falls to the ground, unconscious. All that are left standing are the Straw Hats, Keimi, myself, and a small number of other particularly strong looking people who were thus far uninterested in the brawl. Everyone else is petrified, but I've seen him do this before. _This is exactly what he did to me when I first attacked him, and what he did to Disco earlier today… just what __**is**__ this power he holds? A Devil's Fruit? Can Devil's Fruits be this powerful? It's almost like… like the ability Master had. Could it be the same?_ "That straw hat…" Ray mutters. "He's the one you traveled with, isn't he Aki?"

"Th-that's right." I stutter. "Ya'll know each other?"

"He doesn't know me, but I've heard a lot about him. I've wanted to meet you for some time, Monkey D. Luffy. There's something I'd like to tell you." Monkey says nothing, only gives him a serious look. _Is the kid thinkin'? That'd be a first._ "However, first…" Ray turns to Keimi, still in the tank, "let's get that ring off your neck, shall we miss?"

"You found the keys?" I ask.

"Nope. Never needed them. Just hold still, miss. This'll only take a moment." He touches a finger to the metal rod that acts as the tripwire for the explosive mechanism and a ticking noise like the hands of a clock begins. Faster and faster it ticks, and I feel my heartbeat accelerating along with it. _I hope you know what you're doin', you old fart. If you kill this precious girl, I'll have your head for it!_ In the span of a blink, the sound of a loud explosion shakes the air, and I fear the worse. _He… he failed! He couldn't… Wait…_

"Oi! What the hell just happened?" Sir Franky exclaims, appearing from behind stage. The dust settles, and the neck ring is nowhere to be seen, and Keimi has not a scratch on her. "What the hell? Scaring me shitless! I even found the key ring!" He holds it up the metal ring with the dozens of keys dangling from it.

"Good, 'cause I ain't goin' through that shit." I lift my wrists and tentacles up to the blue-haired cyborg. "If you please." He unlocks them, along with the ring around my neck, then throws the ring to the rest of the people who were to be sold off as slaves today. I gladly stretch all my limbs and joints.

"Aki," asks Ray, "can you carry this young girl out of here?"

"I done got shot. Again. Get someone else." I grumble. He laughs, and apologizes again, though it doesn't sound very heartfelt. The old man then hops off stage and heads up into the aisle towards Hatchan and the Straw Hats.

"Who'd have thought we'd meet such a big shot in a place like this?" One of the others who had watched this fight, a sinister looking man in a long, blood red coat with hair the color of fire and an evil smile on his face comments. "You're the Dark King, Silvers Rayleigh, no doubt about it." '_Dark King'? That's quite a title. I knew there had to be more to this old gamblin' fool than met the eye._

"I prefer to just be called the coater, Mr. Ray, around here. Or simply 'Ray'. I don't need anyone calling me by that old nickname of mine." He reaches Hatchan, who's on the ground in bandages, having been treated by Tony Tony. "You're going to live through this, right Hachi?" Asks Ray, bending down. "It seems it really is too dangerous for your people to be walking around on this island. First Aki, now you."

"That's right!" Sanji exclaims. "Miss Aki! Whatever were you doing here!? In such a horrible place! We-"

His adoration is cut short by a voice amplified, coming from outside. "Criminals inside the auction house! We have you surrounded! An admiral is already on his way, so it would be safe for you to just surrender yourselves here and now!"

"Great." Another one of the other men hanging around, a thin, tattooed man with a goatee, wearing simple, yet stylish clothing sighs with a dejected smile. "They're not only dragging us into this, but totally treating us as if we're his accomplices as well."

The fiery man responds. "A problem. Not to complain, but I'm not gonna stick around to clash with an admiral." He walks towards the exit. "I'll at least handle these losers for you."

"I'm not letting you guys hog all the fun!" Monkey complains, glaring and following after him.

"Like hell I'm getting saved by you two punks." Says the goateed man, and joins them.

They leave and Namizou makes sure to remark on how simple-minded and stupid they are. "And you!" He points to me. "How in the world did you end up here? We searched all over Thriller Bark for you! Is this where that Shichibukai sent you?"

"You cared that much for me, Mada…!? I mean… yes, that's exactly it, Namizou. I'll have you know I had quite a hassle when I got here."

He looks confused. "Nami…zou?"

I walk up close to him so that the others can't hear. "Fear not, Monsieur. You agreed to keep my secret, so I'll do what I can to return the favor."

Namizou raises an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you…"

Usopp's here as well, and he interrupts him. "Those three are gonna cause a huge uproar!" He exclaims. The sounds of battle start to thunder outside. Usopp shrieks. "Never mind; too late! Let's get out of here while we still can!"

Sir Franky picks up Keimi, and Ray manages to pick up Hacchin, and they both begin to carry them out of here. "You gonna need a lift too, Tentacles?" He asks, while Tony Tony's bandaging up my leg and shoulder. I tell him I'll be fine. "Oh, come on. You're injured. Just say the word and I'll help you out. I can carry both of you easily."

I grumble to myself. "I said I'm fine. I don't need no one's help and that's that."

"Hacchin, Akkin… I'm so sorry all this happened to you two…" Says Keimi. "Thank you so much for what you've both done for me!"

My mood lightens a bit. "Not a problem in the world, Madam. Anythin' for a lovely woman such as yourself." I say with a bow.

"As long as you're alright, that's enough for me." Hacchin replies with a smile, straining himself.

"Everyone, if we get separated, meet back at Grove 13." Says Ray. "Aki, you'll show them the way there, right?" We exchange nods and everyone heads outside. Monkey and the other two have already decimated the Marine platoons. There are still a number, but they are all scattered and void of morale. Those not injured or carrying anyone clear a path for the rest of us, and we flee the auction house, everyone glad to be away from that horrible place.

* * *

When we return to Shakky's bar, the place is closed. "Oi, Shakky! It's Ray! I'm back!"

She opens for him. "Ray! I'm amazed they managed to find you. And I see my waitress is with you as well." She says, patting me on the elbow.

"Waitress!?" Sanji slobbers. I club him in the back of the head before he gets any funny ideas.

Shakky notices Hacchin. "Oh my! What happened?"

"He was wounded pretty badly." Ray explains. "He'll need a bed right away."

When we're inside and the cot I slept on the previous week has been brought out into the bar's main room for Hacchin to rest on, Monkey asks Ray just what it was he wanted to tell him back in the auction house.

"Nothing much. Just that I was the vice-captain on the Oro Jackson." Everyone cries out in surprise. I seem to be the only one who doesn't know what that means.

"And that is…?" I ask while Tony Tony's opening up the bandage on my shoulder to get ready to extract the bullet.

"You don't know, Aki?" Gasps Namizou.

Slightly embarrassed, while wincing from the pain of the extraction, I grumble "I told ya'll I'm from the sticks… I don't speak your pirate jive."

Ray laughs. "The Oro Jackson was the ship my good friend, Gol D. Roger commanded. Some people like to call him the Pirate King."

I gasp, shaking Tony Tony's tweezers about and sending a jolt of pain through my arm. "Hold still!" He exclaims.

Sanji lights up a cigarette. "So how'd you manage to keep your head? After the Pirate King lost his? Wasn't your crew caught by the Marines?"

Ray doesn't answer immediately. An uneasy silence fills the room, the only sound the plink of the bloody bullet extracted from my shoulder into the metal pan. At last, he speaks. "We weren't caught. Roger gave himself in." Everyone gasps again. "For the Marines, it was a show of strength. They let everyone think they captured him, of course. Makes them look better. But the real truth is that on our journey, Roger saw his limit. Four years prior to our journey, Roger came down with a terrible illness. One without a cure, that would inevitably claim his life. Still, before his time was up, we managed to do the impossible. We conquered the Grand Line, and set foot on Raftel itself!" _Raftel. The mythical island at the end a' the Grand Line. Even I heard of it. So it really exists?_ Tony Tony undoes the bandages on my leg and gets ready to remove that bullet as well. "After that, to a man as reckless and as wild as him, what was left? His death nearing, what else for him to do but ignite the spark for the greatest age of pirates our world has ever known?"

No knows quite what to say. Usopp is the first to find his voice. "Hold it! Old man! You must know! What about his treasure!? What about One Piece!? Is it really-"

"USOPP!" Monkey screams, startling everyone in the room, including the one with a pair of tweezers in my leg. "Don't you dare ask that question! I don't wanna know what One Piece is… I don't even wanna know if there **is** a treasure at the end of the Grand Line! If I knew, there wouldn't be an adventure ahead of me! And without an adventure… I don't exist! I have no reason to be here! If you ask this old man what it is, then I quit being a pirate! I quit living!" I turn around towards the young captain, surprised at his resolve. _Monkey… I'm surprised. I never figured you for havin' much of a resolution about your life._

Frightened, Usopp stammers a bit. "R-Right! Of course! That was just a... a-a slip! I don't want to know either!" He coughs. "I think I'm coming down with I'll-die-if-I-want-to-know-about-One-Piece disease." The mood lightens dramatically.

"There you go." Says Tony Tony, the second bullet removed. I breathe a sigh of relief. "You have a lot of cuts and scratches, but you can take care of those on your own, right?"

"Of course, little guy." I smile. "You don't need to worry about me. I'm just glad you were here to patch me up, or I woulda been stuck with a couple of slugs in me."

The little reindeer grows a big, cute smile and does a embarrassed little dance. "Asshole! You can't shower me with praise and get away with it!" He laughs for a moment, then turns to Hatchan. "Hachi, are you okay over there?" He asks. "You **still** have that bandage on your forehead? It's been on for days now, hasn't it? It's old by now! And it's not like you have to hide the mark now that you're resting here in safety." Tony Tony reaches for the fishman's forehead and removes the bandage and as soon as I notice the emblem my eyes go wide with horror. A dark red circle with flames radiating from its edges, the tattoo is of a sun, and I would recognize it anywhere.

My body moves on its own. Without planning, without any thought to the repercussions, I stand up, bring my fist up high above me, and bring it down to crash upon the octopus fishman, who manages to move out of the way just quick enough to avoid the attack, leaving the cot a splintered mess instead of him.

"Miss Aki! What're you doing!?" Yells Sanji. I don't listen. His words are nothing. This is what I was programmed to do – I've been waiting for this moment for twelve years. I follow up with another attack; this one connects with one of the fishman's elbows, and he crashes into the bar, shattering a portion of it to pieces.

Monkey rushes forward to stand in between us. "Out of the way." I tell him.

"Like hell I'll-!"

"I said OUT OF THE WAY." I growl, throwing a fist directly at the young captain. He blocks it with his forearm and our bones connect. I can tell he felt the pain of that one.

"Hold her!" Nico exclaims and with her powers, sprouts a number of arms across my body, intended to keep me in place. Roronoa and Franky have joined to hold me down as well. _No… NO! I ain't gonna let them keep me from…! _Bringing forth every ounce of power in me, I break out of their combined attempt to restrain me and constricting his comrades and their weapons, I continue my assault on the man in between me and the octopus fishman, this young straw-hatted captain.

"What wrong with you, Squid-head!?" Monkey shouts as he blocks another one of my attacks.

I stop my assault for a moment. " 'What's wrong'!?" I yell, tossing Roronoa and Franky to the floor, and point towards the fishman, "That man has to die, and ya'll're keepin' me from being the hand that does it!"

Monkey is about to yell something in response, but before he can, Keimi hops in on her tail between the both of us, spreading her arms wide in order to prevent this fight. "Akkin, please stop this!" She pleads, her misty eyes pouring into mine. "Hacchin couldn't have done anything wrong!"

I pause for a moment, grinding my teeth in frustration. "Don't… don't make me do this, Madam. I don't wanna go through you, but if I gotta I will!" I look through her at the fishman, who is more terrified than I've ever seen a man be.

Namizou stands up. "It was the tattoo, wasn't it? The emblem of the Sun Pirates? You said you were originally after Arlong, but that's not all of it, is it? You've got a vendetta against the whole crew, don't you?"

_…You're too clever, Namizou._ The fishman tries to speak. "I-It's true, I was a member of the Sun Pirates, nyuu! And I did do some horrible things, but I've put it all behind-"

"Shut your mouth!" I yell, then hold my head up, looking down at him. "So what if you have, Sun Pirate? Blood has to be paid with blood, right?" He gasps at those words, even more horrified than before.

"Just what happened, Squid-head!?" Says Monkey.

I try my best to calm my breathing, but it only works halfway. My adrenaline dies down somewhat and the pain in my shoulder and leg returns. "Things that demand vengeance, Monkey."

Madam Nico spoke up. "Vengeance…?" I turn to her. "After you were captured in Thriller Bark, I fought against the zombie who had your shadow. He too spoke of vengeance. In fact, it's **all** he spoke about."

_Great. Betrayed by my own shadow. _A tinge of sorrow forms in my eye. "I… I don't have a choice, Madam. I'm bound by a duty bigger than just me. And while he exists, I'll never be free of it." I take a deep breath. "But…" I think for a moment, praying I don't regret this decision, "I ain't gonna kill you while you're defenseless." I say to the fishman. "That'd make me no better than you." _And I'll **never** let myself become you._ I leave the bar then, in hopes that it will quell my fury and set my mind back in order.

It doesn't.


	40. Chapter 40

**Forty – No Hope For the Straw Hats!? Impossible Enemies Emerge**

I can't get my nerves calmed down. Right in front of me was one of **them**, one of those detestable Sun Pirates, but the angel on my shoulder got the better of me and let him live a bit longer. _It's those damned Straw Hats… if __**they**__ hadn't been there… well, no – Ray woulda tried to stop me too, wouldn't he? Damn it! Why is everyone sidin' with that murderer!? _All these negative emotions make the pain in my shoulder and leg flare up again, which only makes me angrier, which perpetuates the cycle.

I even forget that I'm on an island full of humans rabidly racist against fishfolk, and cause a small ruckus when a pair of lovers stumbles upon me as I'm in the middle of fuming. The woman shrieks and the man tries to defend her against me, but I merely push him to the ground and go on my way. When he gets back up and starts hurling obscenities at me, I throw a stick at him and storm off.

Realizing I should avoid any more encounters, I find the nearest tree trunk and climb up it. Once I reach the canopy, I find a good, large branch to lie down on and try to clear my thoughts, but it's still no good. I feel betrayed – betrayed by a bunch of pirates I thought I could count on. _That's what I get for dependin' on other people. A bitter end, just like always._

Not even five minutes after I've lay down, I notice a presence nearby. "Who's there?" I demand to know, quickly sitting up.

To my surprise it is Madam Nico, riding up the trunk of the tree on an elevator of hands. The tension in me dies down a bit. "Mind if I sit down?" She says, a silly question, but one of courtesy, of course. I don't say anything, but wave a hand to tell her that's fine, then lie back down. She sits down on the thick branch, near my waist, her legs dangling over the edge, a purple heeled sandal gracing each foot.

"You're gonna try and talk me out of it, right?" I ask. I keep my eyes averted from her as I speak, instead staring up at the leaves and the bubbles.

"I trust you'll make the right decision, whatever that is." She responds, along with her patent smile. "However, I **don't** trust the people of this island. It's probably best you not walk around here alone." I sigh. _She's right. This is too dangerous a place for me to be for too long. _She can tell I look troubled. "You don't think so?" She says.

"No… no, you're right, Madam. I'm just…" I sigh again. "I always done things on my own. It's what I'm used to."

She thinks for a moment. "There's nothing wrong or shameful with relying on others."

"I guess not.' I pause, closing my eyes. "But things always go sour when I do."

"Oh? Would you be… willing to tell me about it?" There is a silence, in which neither of us says anything. "You know, I must admit since I met you I've been trying to place your accent exactly, but I still haven't figured out just where you are from, Ms. Sinagra."

I roll over, away from her. _If any a' them'll_ _find out, it's her. Might as well tell her now. _"I'm from the Red Line." I say plainly. She gasps. "Mariejoian side. We ain't far from it now, actually."

"I'm surprised. I thought the Red Line was largely inhospitable."

I shake my head. "Dunno who told you that, Madam, but it's just as teemin' with life as the rest of the world. Maybe more so. Where I grew up's all forests and mountains."

"You have me genuinely intrigued!" There is a hint of excitement in her voice I don't think I'd ever heard there before. "Now I simply must know more. You'll stay with us and tell me, won't you, Ms. Sinagra?"

It takes me a moment to reply. A part of me really does want to tell her about everything that's happened to me, just to have someone to confide to. An older sister figure, who knows. But the rest of me knows I'm right, and I should distance myself from them quickly, for their sake. "Sorry, but… bad things tend to happen to people I stick around with for too long." I don't like this conversation. It's making me feel like a kid again, to places I never want to return to.

Her voice drops back to its normal calm tone. "I understand." She says. I sit back up, and can't help but wonder if she really does. "Trust me, I really do. You're not the only one on the crew who's led a troubled life."

"Oh, not you too, Madam… I done told ya'll so many times I ain't a part a' your crew…"

"Of course. My apologies." She giggles. "But I mean what I say. "There's solidarity to be found always, no matter how dark things may become." She brushes her bangs out of her face and looks up at the sky. "That's something I had to learn as well."

I pull my knees in and rest my arms on them, and my chin atop that. "I'm surprised, Madam." I say. "I always took you for someone untroubled. I don't think I could see you not in charge of everythin' around you. Now **my** curiosity's piqued."

She smiles again. "Sorry, Ms. Sinagra. If you won't tell me about yourself, I'm afraid I can't do the same for you." _Dang. I kinda wanted to know, too._ "Shall we return to Sunny? I imagine your disguise will suit you well in this place." We descend down the tree trunk on another elevator of hands. I'm a bit unsure at first, but Madam Nico has excellent control over her Devil's Fruit power. _She musta had it for a long time._

When we reach solid ground again, she points off to the east. "The ship is docked at Grove 41. It shouldn't take us too long to walk there."

"You ain't going back to the others?" I ask.

"I'm sure we'll come across them eventually. The coating takes three days, after all."

I shrug. "As you wish, Madam." I say with a bow. "So what'll I say if my presence causes a problem before we get to the ship?"

She smiles. "Oh, I'm sure you'll think of something, won't you Ms. Sinagra!"

The way she says it just send my heart into a flutter. "Of course, Madam!" I say with pride. "Ain't nothin' too much for me to handle! Ryahahaha!"

We stroll across the island to the next one, Grove 13, where Shakky's place is. I ask if we can avoid the bar. _The last thing I need is a month of waitress duty to pay for the damage I caused. And if I see that damn fishman…_ We go the long way, around the edge of the mangrove to the adjacent Grove 12. However, once we cross the bridge linking the two tree-islands together, in the distance we see a yellow glow just past the hills, accompanied by a loud cacophony of noise, and a low rumbling under our feet.

"The hell was that!?" I exclaim.

"It almost sounded like an explosion…" Nico gasps. "Quick, we should hurry!" _Should we?_ She's already running in the direction of the noise, so I have little choice but to follow.

Only a moment later another loud noise follows, then another and another. _Just what the hell is goin' on? _When we reach the top of the round hill between us and the commotion, we can see nothing but a massive cloud of dust and dirt blocking our view. Nico wastes no time in dashing forward, but I have my hesitation. "You sure that's the best…" I shout out at her, but my voice trails off as I can see she's already gone, "…thing to do, Madam?" _Damn it, I better not regret this!_ Shielding my eyes with a tentacle, I run in as well.

The dust cloud settles, and what is left in its place is a dreadful sight. The Straw Hat crew is all there, everyone save for Madam Nico battered and exhausted. Lying still on the ground, almost certainly dead, is Bartholomew Kuma, the Shichibukai who sent Perona and I flying over the seas from Thriller Bark. A massive gash has been made in his shoulder, but instead of blood and guts spilling forth from the wound he is full of machinery inside; broken metal plates and severed cables.

"Bartholomew!" I exclaim. "What's he doin' here? Did… were ya'll able to beat him?"

Everyone is out of breath. It takes a moment before anyone answers. "That is not the same man we saw in Thriller Bark." Says Brook.

"Huh? Of course it is!" I say, confused. "…Ain't it? He looks exactly the same!"

"He's definitely a modified human… a cyborg, just like me." Franky explains. "But that's not Kuma. He's didn't have all the same abilities of the man we fought in Thriller Bark. He must be someone who was modified to look like him, or maybe Kuma has a twin."

Sanji walks over to the massive husk of a man splayed out on the ground and takes a better look at him, mumbling something to himself. I sit down, unsure of what to make of all of this. I'm not sure whether I should believe that, but I do just to save myself a headache. _But why here? Why now? Is it just dumb luck? Did the Straw Hats do somethin' to garner all this attention? Wait, that's a stupid question; a' course they did. When ain't they done somethin' to stir up trouble for themselves? _ "I know we need to rest," Sanji says to the rest of them, "but we really should find somewhere to hide. If they find us now, we're in big trouble."

"If who finds us?" I say. "Who else's out there?

"That'd be me!" A voice proclaims boisterously into the air. We all turn up towards the nearest tree trunk, where on a low branch stand two broad figures I can't quite make out.

"Who's there!?" Usopp demands to know, trying his best to put on an act of bravery.

Both figures leap off from the branch, then crash into the ground like a pair of meteorites. "You're in a pretty shitty state, PX-4!" The same voice exclaims. "You cost the same as a warship to build I'll have you know! Now how am I supposed to explain this to that stupid punk?" The voice belongs to a large, heavy man (or boy, I can't quite tell his age) in red, wielding a double-bladed axe large enough to slice a house in two. However, that weapon is nowhere near as chilling as the one behind him. Yet another Bartholomew Kuma, just like the one on the ground, but in perfect shape, stands like an obelisk, ominously looming over the scene.

Several of the Straw Hats shriek in fright. "Is that the real one!?" Cries Tony Tony.

"Doesn't matter!" Sanji says through heavy breaths. "We don't have the strength to fight another one of those things!"

"Who the hell are you, battle-axe!?" Sir Franky yells.

"Hah! There's no point in asking me any questions!" He replies. "I have nothing to tell any of you! And I wouldn't anyway, because I'm the man with the toughest guard in the world! Nothing escapes my lips unintended!"

"Oh come on! Can't you at least tell us your name?" Usopp shouts.

"No! I have no obligation to tell you that! Besides, I already told you! I'm the world's most tight-lipped man, Sentoumaru!"

"Oh, is that so?" Usopp says casually. "Sentoumaru, was it?"

The man's stern expression falters for just a brief moment. "I just felt like telling you that! I wasn't answering your question!" He growls. "Enough! Let's go, PX-1!"

The Bartholomew Kuma who may or may not actually be Bartholomew Kuma springs to life. Moving his arms up slowly, a faint glow begins to surround him, and the next thing I know a beam of bright yellow light bursts forth from both of his hands, resulting in a massive explosion around us. We're all thrown aside by the sheer force of the blast, tumbling across the ground like pebbles. I manage to catch myself before slamming straight into a large pile of what used to be a shack and steady my stance on the ground, shielding my eyes so as not to get the dirt that's kicked up into the air into them.

I hear Sanji's voice amidst the noise. "He's firing beams from his palms as well! This isn't the real Kuma, either!"

Roronoa is with him. "Rather than wonder about that, we should be getting away from here!"

Monkey is by my side, and he heard them as well. "Zoro's right…" He pants. "We can't win here! We need to split up and escape!"

I'm almost stunned. I never thought I'd hear a word of wisdom come out of his mouth. _Right… He's right! This is my chance. I should get while I still can!_ My legs find their strength again and I immediately make a mad dash away from the not-Bartholomew, who is locked on to Sanji, Namizou, and Sir Franky. I can't spot Sentoumaru anywhere, but that doesn't concern me. _I just need to get outta here!_ Behind me are Monkey, Tony Tony, and Madam Nico. Tony Tony being a reindeer and Monkey simply being a better sprinter than me are catching up, but Madam Nico I notice is lagging behind. _She's still wearin' those heels!? She can't possibly run in those! _In spite of what my will to survive tells me to do, I can't help myself; I stop, turn around, and run towards her. "Madam, quick! I'll carry you! Grab on!"

However, at just that moment, the giant axe of Sentoumaru comes crashing in front of our escape path, followed by the bulky man himself. "You don't have the time to be worrying about others!" He shouts menacingly.

Monkey is ready. Winding his arms back, he fires them off in front of him in rapid succession, but Sentoumaru is unimpressed. Just before he comes in range of Monkey's punches, he thrusts his palms in front of him, and without even touching the young captain sends him soaring up into the air with tremendous power. "You've got some offensive power in you," Sentoumaru exclaims, getting into stance to counterattack, "but as I said, my guard is the strongest in the world!"

I don't know what grabs hold of me, what foolish thoughts are planted into my head, but I move to intercept. I charge towards the heavy man, then plant a foot firmly into the ground between his legs, and with the opposite arm send a fist directly towards his enormous gut.

But he sees me coming. He moves his arms so as to block my attack, and I think our limbs connect; I feel the tremendous impact, the pure power behind his movements, but my eyes tell me our bodies never clashed. Monkey lands behind me, a little roughed up, but okay. "Oh?" Sentoumaru looks at me slightly intrigued. "A user of haki?" He says. "I didn't think there was anyone like that in your crew, Straw Hat."

Growling through my teeth, I yell "Why does everyone think I'm a part a' his-!?" I don't get to finish my sentence. Sentoumaru doesn't move an inch, but it feels like a boulder just smashed itself directly into my gut. The wind is knocked straight out of me, gobs of spit, blood and ink splashing out of my mouth, and I fly back across the ground, knocking straight into Monkey as I do. We both crash into a tree growing on the mangrove, snapping it in half, then fall to the ground.

Stumbling to get up, Monkey cringes and says "His attacks are just like yours, Squid-head. You know him?"

I barely make it to my feet, trying to regain my breath. "No! I…I never met the fella!" Behind us, in the direction of the others, a massive explosion shakes the ground, sending fire and smoke into the air. We all look in that direction to find Roronoa on the ground defeated, with a tall, well-dressed man in Navy garb towering over him, one heel in the air shining so brightly I can barely look his way. Usopp and Brook are desperately trying to fend him off, but their attacks are doing nothing; Usopp's projectiles and Brook's blade simply pass straight through him, and he ignores them entirely.

"That's no uuuuuse." The tall man says very slowly, drawing out some of his words. "I ate the Pika Pika Fruit; I'm a light maaaaaan." _You… you ain't serious! How do you even beat someone like that!? _All the Straw Hats cry out desperately for their comrade to move, but Roronoa cannot; his injuries must simply be too great. Madam Nico sprouts a number of arms along the ground to roll him away, but the man of light simply moves instantaneously to the swordsman, and lands his other foot on him to keep him in place. "I'm not going to let you get awaaaaaay." He sneers. "It's lights out for youuuuuu."

That should have been it. Roronoa should have died right then and there. And not only him; that light man should've simply done away with all the Straw Hats, and perhaps even me too, but he was stopped. I can barely even see what happened, but a figure comes in at tremendous speed, practically flying across the ground and intervenes, knocking the tall man's leg out of the way and directing the beam high into the sky where it explodes into a burst of fire and light.

"So you've finally appeeeeeeared." The tall man says, almost in a sigh. I squint to make out just who arrived, and who should it be but Ray, the wily old man himself. "The Dark King Rayleeeeeigh. It's been some time." Ray responds with only a smile, but in between every wrinkle volumes are told.

" 'Dark King'?" Says Sentoumaru. "So that's him?"

"I heard some rumors you were on this islaaaaaand… I guess it's true then. And since you're helping these brats, I guess you're still a pirate, even at youuuur age."

"It's because you people won't withdraw my bounty that I can't retire in peace." Ray jokes. Everyone's too overwhelmed to laugh, though. All the Straw Hats are finally breathing small breaths of relief. I even find my own heart rate decreased just a bit.

"A pirate's sin never disappears, Rayleeeeeigh." The tall man says. "Especially not those of the Roger Pirates. But… I have to admit, it would take a bit more dedication than we have right now to catch youuuuu."

"You can't let them leave, can you Kizaru?" Ray says.

"Gimme a break, heeeeeere!" Kizaru responds, almost in a whine. "If we don't catch those kids, then how are we going to face the Celestial Dragons back in Mariejoooooois?"

Monkey interrupts their little chat, finding his voice first. "Usopp! Brook! Take Zoro and run!"

"R-Right!" Usopp replies, hurriedly taking a chance to grab the swordsman and flee.

"Everyone!" Monkey shouts. "Find a way to escape! Hurry!"

Kizaru sighs. "Greeeeeat. How annoooooying." He tries to give chase to the three that were just under his grasp, but Ray brandishes a long sword from under his cloak and stops him. I haven't the foggiest idea how he is managing to attack a man made of light with nothing but a metal blade, but I don't have the time to think about that. _Monkey's right! We have to get! Nothin' else matters right now! _ The tall man sighs again. "And here I was thinking this was going to be an eeeeeasy job coming to this island." He conjures up a sword himself, forged of pure light, and the two begins to trade blows, so fiercely that I can feel the force of their impacts from here, many yards away.

Just then, the Bartholomew Kuma copy whom I'd almost forgotten about begins to give chase after Usopp and Brook. Burdened with Roronoa's weight, Usopp is failing to escape. Brook, in a valiant effort, tries to defend the pair but is blasted aside easily. The machine man is about to fire another beam of light, this one directly at Usopp and Roronoa, when a single voice calls out, calmly, softly. "Wait, PX-1."

The massive man stops. The light subsides. I look to see just who said that, and as if appearing out of thin air, yet another Bartholomew Kuma has appeared. Usopp and Roronoa are trapped. _Shit… this is it for them, ain't it? No one's escapin' this place… are they? Will they take me in as well?_

Roronoa tries to stand for himself. Breathing heavily, barely conscious, he exclaims five words. "This is… the real one!"

Bartholomew Kuma looks down upon the swordsman. "So you survived, Roronoa." In his hand is clutched the same book as before. _He's right! None of the others was holding that! And none of the others spoke nothin' neither! But… is this a good thing or a bad thing!?_ Bartholomew slowly takes off one of his gloves. "If you were to go on a vacation, where would you like to go?"

_Those words! _ "Roronoa, RUN!" I scream into the air, but it's too late. With a loud pop, the swordsman disappears, sent off to who knows where, and in his place is a void, quickly filled in by a gush of air.

All the Straw Hats are shocked. They can barely form the words in their throat. A moment later, Usopp is the first to speak. He curses wildly at the Shichibukai, tears running down his cheeks. "What did you do to Zoro!? He was right here!" He yells. I glance at Monkey, right next to me. His eyes are wide, filled to the brim with fear.

"Kuma…" I hear Sentoumaru whisper. "What is that bastard doing here…?"

"Say something, you freak!" Usopp yells. Bartholomew responds by taking a step closer, then another, then another, slowly, threateningly. Usopp's courage begins to wane. "O-Oi! Don't come any closer! I-I've got eight thousand men ready to b-beat you up, you know!" What he doesn't realize is that the Bartholomew copy is directly behind him, charging up a laser attack.

But it does not come through. The real Bartholomew appears directly in front of his copy, and with a simple "Don't interfere." blasts him away.

Usopp takes this as his chance to flee. Grabbing an injured Sanji, he begins to carry him off, but Bartholomew notices him. However, it is Brook who stands in front. "Go, you two!" He says bravely. Bartholomew raises a hand. "Go! I shall defend you with my life, I swear it! Although… I'm a skeleton so I don't have-"

Pop. Brook is gone before he can even finish his joke. _Why am I… why can't I move? I should be runnin'… I should use the confusion to… _Sanji, ignoring the injury in his leg, bares the pain and stands, charging at the massive man, and he is next. Pop.

Bartholomew does not stop there. Usopp is next, crying for his life before vanishing into thin air.

Kizaru growls, still clashing swords with Ray. "This… this is why you can't trust pirates!" With a mighty swing, he knocks Ray back quite a bit, creating some distance between the two of them. Before he can continue his attack however, Bartholomew steps in between. The massive man bends down to Ray's level and says something to him, very hushed, very quiet. No one can hear what is being said, but I'm barely even paying attention in the first place. _Why am I still? Why!? This is the end of my time with the Straw Hats! I know this! So why can't I bring myself to abandon them, when I most need to!?_

"Just what are you planning, Kumaaaaaa?" Says Kizaru, an eyebrow raised.

"As long as it does not endanger the World Government, we Shichibukai have no obligation to cooperate with the Navy." Bartholomew responds. "I may do as I please." He continues doing just that, and with two pops, Sir Franky and Namizou are gone.

Monkey can barely stand to watch. A myriad of emotions – anger, fear, sorrow – all swirl about in his eyes, in the pained expression on his face. _I should grab him and run. Him and Madam Nico. We're far enough away… ain't we? We can make it… can't we?_ That distance is immediately closed as Bartholomew appears suddenly, just before Madam Nico, and she is lost as well.

"Madam!" I yell, heartstruck. _Tony Tony! Where's…?_ I look around for the little guy, but he's already vanished. _No! When did he…? I didn't even see him get hit!_

"Why…" Comes Monkey's voice, no more than a child's cry. "What's… what's wrong with me!?" He cries, collapsed on his hands and knees. "I let… I let them all… I couldn't save them!" He turns to me, then up to Bartholomew. "Please! Don't do it! Don't take Squid-head too! Just let me… let me have saved at least **someone**, please!"

Bartholomew looks down upon the broken, young captain. Coldly, he replies "You will never see them again. Farewell."

The young captain from East Blue vanishes, and the silence in his absence is deafening.

Kizaru and Ray have stopped their fight, each knowing they cannot defeat the other. Sentoumaru has lost his prey, and I still cannot find the will to move my body. My nerves won't respond. My muscles won't respond. I can't remember the last time I felt such overwhelming fear in a single moment. Bartholomew is the first to move. He turns, like a great stone door groaning on massive hinges, and bares his soulless eyes upon me. His shadow covers me entirely. "What an interesting pawn that has fallen into my hands." He says. "I thought for a moment that that was you I saw at Thriller Bark, but… I had long since assumed you to be dead." _What's he… what's he on about?_

"Ohh? You know this fishwoman, Kumaaaa?" Says Kizaru, who seems to have lost all interest in everything around him now that the Straw Hats have disappeared.

"I never met him!" I shout. I fall back to my tentacles and try to scramble away, but keep tripping over my own limbs. "I… I ain't with 'em! I ain't one of the Straw Hats! Honest! They think I am, but-"

"I know. You are something far more dangerous than a mere pirate." Bartholomew says. "Aki… I believe you are called?"

"That's… how do you know…? How do you know my name? Who are you!? What do you know about me!?"

He pauses. "More than you know about yourself, it seems. A shame." He raises his hand. "I know where I had wanted to send you, but it seems I must now choose a different destination."

"No!" I plead. "Stay back! Don't…! Please!"

"If you wish to know the truth, seek the cobra." Bartholomew says. "And bring with you these words: 'Istia returns.' "

Pop.

* * *

_It's been a day… and still I fly. How long…? How long will I soar over these seas?_ The battle on Sabaody Archipelago is still fresh in my mind, but at the same time it seems like a distant memory, already catalogued in with so many others.

The pain in my shoulder and leg has subsided to a mere irritation, and all I am left to do in this suspended state, flying through the skies with no end in sight, is to think. Think… and remember… and revisit those long since shelved memories. I always tell myself not to do this, that there's little pleasant to remember back then, but I can't help it now; as I travel across the world, I find myself travelling also into the past… far, far into the past, back to when everything began. Back to the place I once called home, a quiet, quaint town deep within the wilds of the Red Line.

**-End of Volume Three-**


	41. Chapter 41

**Volume Four – Into Her Past**

**Forty One – Memories of Long Ago! A Town in the Mountains and the Mist**

Even though Redcliff was the largest settlement in the region, it was still small. Settled on a plateau along the side of a steep mountain overlooking a forested valley, there wasn't much room left to expand, so the town's population remained more or less at a constant, comfortable level.

When I was an infant, not even a year old, I was abandoned on the doorstep of a young couple near the outskirts of town. Their names were Ike and Mia Sinagra, and they adopted me as their daughter, giving me my name, Aki. Being the only fishperson nearly all the people there had seen, I was an object of intense curiosity for the townsfolk, but simultaneously I always an outsider, though that didn't stop me from trying to make friends and fit in.

"You can't play with us, Aki!" A young boy seven years old proclaimed. He and a number of boys were playing a ball game when I tried to join.

"What? Why not!?" I whined. "I'm the same age as you!"

"It won't be fair! You got tentacles!"

"I won't use 'em! Promise!" The boy wouldn't listen, and neither would his friends. They started calling me names and telling me to get lost. Tears welled up in my eyes. "You're just mad 'cause you'll get beat by a girl!" I yelled and ran away, crying.

I went to a hidden place in town where I would always go whenever I was troubled. The rooftop of a bakery, it could only be reached by climbing a nearby tree. All the other kids were too short to reach the lowest branches and all the adults were too old to be climbing trees, so it was a place only I went. From the roof I could see most of the town. In the center of the city were most of the markets as well as the tall, three-storied city hall and the unused railroad station. One of my earliest memories is watching the last train leave before the station was shut down for good. Radiating outwards like the spokes of a wheel were rows of houses, tightly packed until they reached the edge of town. From my spot I could see the only viable exit out of Redcliff: the main gate, where a thin road led down into the valley and the guard tower stood watch. In the back of the city there was another exit, unknown to most, but it only led to an old abandoned shrine, nowhere else. I'd never gone past those main gates, so I didn't know then what lie beyond the mist that always enshrouded the wilderness beyond the town.

"Aki! That you up on the roof again?" Came the voice of Mrs. Kuchler, the woman who owned the bakery I was sitting atop. I hugged my knees, pretending to ignore her. "Why don't you come down from there? It's dangerous!"

"I'm stayin' up here forever 'cause everyone hates me!" I pouted.

Mrs. Kuchler crossed her arms in front of her. "Now, I know that ain't true."

"It is too! I'm never coming down!"

"Oh really?" She said. "I guess I won't be able to give you this apple pastry I made after all." I gasped and crawled over to the edge of the roof to look down just in time to see her walk back into the store. "I'll just have to give it to some other little girl."

"No! No! Wait! I want it!" I hurried down, almost falling out of the tree.

Inside the store, Mrs. Kuchler gave me the treat with a warm smile. "My, you're almost as tall as me now, aren't you?" She remarks. "When're you gonna stop growing, Aki?"

"I dunno." I said in between bites, finding a chair to sit down in. "I don't like it. I wish I was shorter. And… and I wish I didn't have these stupid tentacles… Then they woulda let me play with 'em…"

"Who's this now? Who ain't lettin' you play with them?" I didn't say anything, the unwritten rule of children not to tell on each other. She guessed it correctly though. "'Was it Larry?" I nodded, my eyes watering up again. "Oh, that boy…" Mrs. Kuchler fumed. "Now don't cry, Aki. Things'll get better eventually, I promise."

"But I want 'em to get better now!" I complained.

"Now, now. We can't always get what we want." She bent down on one knee and clasped my small hands in hers. Her hands were always warm, like the bread straight out of an oven. "Just you wait, Aki," she said, "in a few years those boys'll be begging you to go out on a date with them. Then you can have a little revenge of your own, hm?"

"No way!" I exclaim, sniffling and wiping my tears away. "Boys are icky and gross and I hate 'em!" Back then, the thought of someday being attracted to anyone terrified me. Even kissing was nasty, some stupid thing adults did because they were crazy.

Mrs. Kuchler laughed. "You run along home now, okay? Your mother stopped by earlier, said she wanted to tell you something. Your birthday's comin' up soon, ain't it?"

"My birthday…?" I repeated. "My birthday's next week." It wasn't my real birthday, as I didn't (and still don't) know exactly how old I am, but instead the date in which my parents found and decided to adopt me.

She smiled. "Well maybe she got somethin' a little early, hm?"

That thought excited me enough that I completely forgot about the rest of the pastry and dashed out of the bakery with a quick "Bye, Mrs. Kuchler!" Skipping down the street on the way home, I'd completely forgotten about the trouble with Larry and the boys. _I'm gonna be eight years old! I can't wait!_

My happiness, however, was to be short lived. In the distance, I heard a couple of women talking amongst each other. "There's that fishthing again." One said. "I can't believe those two let that creature run unchecked!"

"**I** can't believe parents let their children near her!" Another remarks. "What if she attacks them? Dreadful!"

I stopped and stared blankly at them, unsure of what to make of their comments. They both noticed. "Oh, she heard you! You talk too loud, Jenny!"

"What do you want?" Said the other. "Don't you know it's rude to stare!?"

"Oh course she doesn't; she's a fish!"

I averted my gaze down to beneath my feet, scared of these women. "I… I won't hurt no one." I mumbled.

"Eh? What's that?"

"I said…!" I shouted, then lowered my voice. "I would never hurt anyone."

The women looked unimpressed. "You don't know that! You're not human, you're an animal! You could go wild at any moment!"

I bit my quivering lower lip. "Th-that's not true…! I'm not…" I stuttered. Unable to stand in their frightening presence anymore, I ran away to my home, to the only place I wanted to be.

When I reached the house my parents built themselves, my eyes were raw from the tears. I walked in through the front door, to where my father was sitting down in the wooden rocking chair by an open window and immediately buried my head in his chest and sobbed.

"What's this!? Did something happen, Aki?" He said, surprised, gently stroking the back of my head with his calloused hand. I mumbled something unintelligible into the folds of my father's shirt, and he knew what I said, somehow. "They didn't!" He gasped.

"Hey, Ike." I heard my mother say from outside, She poked her head in the window, and her long, blonde hair fluttered about in the incoming breeze.

"Hm? What's that, Mia my dear?" My father responded.

"I thought I heard Aki crying." She spotted me. "Aww, what's the matter? Is everything alright?"

"Aki's having problems with bullying kids." Said my father.

"Bullying kids? Why that ain't a problem!" My mother cheered. "Kids are easy to bully! If you ever need help learnin' how to rough those punks up, I'll show you the ropes, Aki!"

"No, no, no. Not bullying kids. Kids who are bullying her." My father corrected her.

My mother's eyes lit up. "Ohhh! How'd you figure that one out, Ike?"

"Years of experience, Mia!" They both had a quick laugh in unison.

My mother hopped into the house through the windowsill like an energetic child. "Aki, if kids are bullying you, then you just gotta ignore them!"

"That's right!" Said my father. I lifted my head up from his chest. "Those kids are saying things without a clue what they mean!"

"No idea!" Added my mother.

"B-But," I sniffled, "some grown-ups said the same thing to me. They called me an animal."

My parents gasped simultaneously, clasping each other's hands. "They said what!?" They both exclaimed. "That **is** a problem." Said my father.

"A problem!" My mother repeated. "But listen, Aki! The only person who decides what you are is you! You understand?" I slowly nodded my head.

"Right you are, Mia! Not kids, not grown-ups, not even your mother and I! Only you!"

"So!" My parents both spoke simultaneously. "What do **you** want to be?"

I knew what I wanted to say, but still I bashfully fumbled over my answer for a moment. "I… I just wanna be a human girl." I told them.

"Then that's what you are!" Exclaimed my father.

"Aki the human girl!" My mother cheered.

"B-But… humans don't got purple skin… and they don't got gills or tentacles… or…" I protested, sniffling.

My father put a hand over his eyes and exaggeratedly looked over the room. "Tentacles? What tentacles? I don't see any tentacles! Do you, Mia?"

"Not a one, Ike!'

"Right here! These!" I touched his shoulder with the tips of two of them.

"M-M-Mia!" He gasped.

My mother put her hands to her cheeks. "What is it, Ike!?"

"Something's t-touching me! But I don't see anything!"

"Eek! How frightening! Aki, please help us!"

I broke into a laugh and grabbed the both of them, and we fell to the floor, wrestling and yelling and chasing each other about the house, until the neighbors started complaining about the noise. But by then night had fallen, and the three of us had already expended all of our energy.

"Mommy? Daddy?" I said, lying down on the fur rug. "Have you ever seen the ocean?"

"We certainly have, Aki." My father answered.

"Really!?" I sat up in interest. "What's it like? Is it really big?"

"Bigger than anything you could ever imagine!" Said my mother, spreading her arms up in front of her. "It goes on and on forever, even farther than you can see!"

I was enchanted. "Wow! Can we go see it someday?"

My father turned to look my way, leaning on one elbow. "If you want to, then of course! However I will warn you, your mother and I both hate swimming."

"Funny story behind that – it's actually why we met!" My mother adds.

"Indeed it is, Mia! But first…" he stood up, then grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet, "little human girls who definitely don't have tentacles need to get ready for bed."

"Aww…" I moaned, then tugged at his wrist with one of the appendages I didn't have.

"There it is again, Mia! It's still here!" He exclaimed.

My mother play-shrieked. "Quick! To Aki's bedroom! Maybe you can lure it to where it needs to be!" I knew what they were up to, but I played along anyway because it was fun, and because I had no reason to be rebellious and stay up as late as I could. I was still very young then after all. Times with my parents were always like that. They were such a ridiculous and child-like couple, I've often wondered how they managed to support themselves, not to mention me. I wouldn't have traded them for any other parents in the world, though. The one thing I'll always love most about them though is that they never pretended to be my biological parents; not once did they lie to me. And not once did it matter – I've always known the bonds I shared with them far outshone any of blood.

It's a shame though, as that night was the last experience I would ever share with them.


	42. Chapter 42

**Forty Two – Tragedy! An End to Everything Dear**

My next awakening was not in the comfort of my bed, nor was it to the sounds of the birds chirping in my window or to my parents laughing in the other part of the house. I awoke cold in the night, wrapped in a blanket slowly growing damp with dew, to a handful of screams far away somewhere. Lazily and confused, I rose out from the blanket, lifting myself up from the ground, surprised at the moisture and texture when my hands and tentacles met moss-covered stone. _Why am I outside?_ I rubbed my eyes and looked around. It only took a moment for me to recognize where I was: the old shrine outside town, up the mountain a little ways. It had been abandoned generations ago and had degraded to ruins in that time. Another scream shone from the direction of the town. That time, it was not only one or two that pierced the night air, but a continuous stream of fearful cries. I awoke fully, stood up, shed the blanket, and made for the edge of the small cliff that the shrine sat precariously atop. From it, I could see the town in its entirety in the distance, and near the entrance to the path that led into the mountains where I awoke, a thin pillar of smoke rose over flames licking the dark sky. I had never seen a fire outside of a fireplace before, and this was much, much larger than that, and not only that, it was spreading at an astonishing rate. _Mommy! Daddy! Are they okay? I have to go!_ Before I tore away from the sight I spotted outside the town's main gate a large number of very tall figures blocking the path entirely. I had no time to think about who they were or what they were doing, as I had to return to the town as quickly as possible, though I did make note of them.

The path from the shrine was old and unused, overgrown with plantlife in the many decades since it was last taken care of. It was dangerous, too – at points I had to climb over a fallen tree, or scramble down a small wall of stones. Fretting, racing against the clock to make it to town in time, my own personal safety was of little concern to me. I tripped repeatedly, I ignored tree branches and thorns scratching through my nightgown, and bugs nibbling away at my bare ankles. I didn't even notice all the woodland animals dashing past me, fleeing the fire. Through the slowly thinning foliage, the orange glow of the conflagration grew brighter and fiercer with every frantic step I took, and the pained cries of townsfolk became louder and louder.

I wasn't even in the town when I reached the edge of the wildfire. The flames had spread to the forest; I covered my head with my tentacles as I ran under the burning evergreen canopy above me. When I flew out from the forest and into the town, Redcliff was already being consumed. The smoke had blotted out the sky, and all I could see is yellow and orange fire in all direction, devouring everything, burning all in its path to ashes. "Mommy! Daddy!" I cried at the inferno, the smoke choking me. Foolishly I ventured into the hellfire. I immediately came across a great wall of impenetrable flame, as if the fire itself wished to keep me out. Nearby was a decent-sized shed that the fire had not yet had a chance to sample. I still don't know how eight-year old me managed to formulate a plan so quickly – it must have been the severity of the situation – for the first time in my life I utilized the extent of my natural fishfolk strength and, grabbing hold of one of the edge of the shed's doorway, tore off one of its walls. I heaved the thing up above my head, took it to the wall of fire and threw it over it, then ran across the bridge before the thing caught fire.

Inside the scene was even worse. Trying to find my way home as best I could, I came across another horror: people- no… corpses, burnt to a smoldering crisp. The air was saturated with the stench of their charred flesh, and it made me vomit when I first smelled it and saw the horrible sight. Further into the town, screams of those still alive mixed into the air. Frightened beyond measure, I somehow managed to press on still, but the image that awaited me utterly horrified me.

The house, like everything else in Redcliff, was engulfed in bright, cruel flames. My entire life up to that point, the only home I had ever had, the place where the only two people who truly loved me dwelled, it had all become food for the merciless fire. That did not stop me from running in, screaming their names until my lungs were raw. I rammed into the front door, breaking it off its already fragile hinges, and searched the house, the heat burning my eyes, the flames all around me licking my skin, tasting their next morsel. They were nowhere to be seen on the bottom floor. I ran upstairs, but the smoke was too thick to be up there for more than only a few seconds, and I didn't see or hear anyone. _Did they leave already? _I had to leave the house; I could barely breathe anymore. Only a moment after I burst out of the broken front door, I heard a loud crack behind me, and turned around just in time to see the second story of the house collapse in on itself, and the fire erupt in sparks of happiness at the destruction. Dry tears filled my eyes at the sight.

"YOU!" Someone yelled. I looked behind me to see a middle-aged man, all in a rage. I tried to recognize him, but his skin was all burned and black with soot. "This is all your fault!" I didn't know how to respond; my terror froze me. He was as indignant an image as the inferno itself, his furious eyes boring holes into mine. "You brought them here! All this happened because we let a monster like you live with us! I'll kill-!" His words were cut short when another house collapsed. The burning building tumbled over and fell directly atop him, crushing him.

I did the only thing I could think to do – I ran. I tore through the burning town, past a world of death and destruction, past everything I ever knew and held dear ablaze, past people still alive, immolated in flames, crying in unimaginable pain into their final moments before death granted them a release. I ran, and I ran, and I ran, until a place I knew stopped me. It was Mrs. Kuchler's bakery, and from inside I could hear her crying out for help. The thought of one person saved, just one, propelled me forward, made me rush into the building without thought.

"Aki! Is that you?" She cried as I entered the burning bakery. Her voice was weak. I scanned the building and saw her on the floor. One of the ceiling-high metal bread racks had fallen, and she was trapped underneath it.

"Hold still, Mrs. Kuchler!" I shouted. "I'll save you!" I ran to her and grabbed the bread rack to lift it up, but the metal was scorching hot, and I let go in reflex. I tried then to pull her out from the wreckage, grabbing her arm with a hand and several tentacles. I could feel her move, slowly but surely, as I strained. I gave one final tug, and her body loosened itself from under the bread rack. However, that caught the rack next to it, bringing it down, and I failed to notice until it had fallen upon me. The blazing hot metal crashed onto me, burning straight through my clothing and even severing a few tentacles, searing my skin all along my backside from my shoulders to my elbows to my thighs. I screamed out in pain, then, panicking, lifted up the bread rack with my remaining tentacles. When it was off of me, I bent down to lift up Mrs. Kuchler and get her out of there, but it was then that I discovered: she was already dead. She died clasping my hand, and I hadn't even noticed; the warmth of the fire masking the departure of the warmth of life. Her hands always were warm.

The pain began to reemerge, and my natural instinct to survive drove me to flee the bakery, but I could barely manage to stand. I staggered towards the exit, but just as I passed through the doorway it collapsed, and the wooden frame fell directly onto my back, forcing me to the ground. I felt my skin sizzle away under its scorching heat. Yet despite this, despite pain coursing through every fiber of my being, I somehow managed to squeeze out from under the wooden beam and crawl out into the street, away from the flames still eating everything in sight. My last bit of strength depleted, I found myself unable to move entirely. It came almost instantly in that moment, a swift descent into a dreamless world of darkness.

* * *

Even now, I'm surprised I lived to see another day.

Coughing and wheezing as I slowly, painfully rose to my knees, I strained to look around and see just what happened. The rampant destruction that devoured all of Redcliff was over, and in its place was an eerie, quiet, cold world. What were once buildings were now skeletal remains on their last breaths, charred black with smoldering orange cores. A thick layer of ash blanketed all I could see, fluttering about the sky in massive somber clouds. I didn't even know what time it was; everything was the same shade of lifeless grey.

I coughed again, my tongue and mouth dry with ash. I wheezed horribly as I staggered to stand up. I tried to move my tentacles, but found they were all either injured, or had been completely severed halfway through. Had I not been so bewildered, the very fact I was missing limbs would have sent me into a mad panic. Moving my back was a lesson in pain, so I tried to keep it as still as possible as I walked, my bare, burned feet trudging through the thick ash. I was heading to where Redcliff's front gate once stood, but I didn't know that; I couldn't tell which way was which, or what building each of the fragile, burnt ruins were the day before. When I reached what was once the guard tower, it was obvious to me my location, not because of the building itself, but because of the scene around it. Corpses lay everywhere, strewn about chaotically. Yet only a few of them were burnt. There was a battle here, and it was fierce. And among them…

"Mommy…? Daddy…?" I said, my voice no more than a whisper upon the scarred wind. Their bodies lay before me entirely still, bludgeoned and slashed, painted with dried blood. Tears immediately welled up, stinging my eyes. I repeated their names, louder. My mind couldn't accept that they were dead, and told me they were only sleeping, that they had been hurt and needed to be taken care of. I shook my mother's body, but no response. Turning her over onto her back, I gasped in horror, discovering a deep slice that tore across her belly. Finally everything began to assemble itself in my mind. "NO! I yelled. "Mommy!" I turned to my still father. "Daddy! Mommy's been…!" My words stopped. He too, I then noticed, was carrying a lethal wound, his half-severing his neck from his body. Tears flowed like rivers down my cheek. "Who… who hurt you? Daddy, who hurt you?" I cried. I looked across the field of corpses, and saw many of them, at least ten, perhaps a dozen, that I did not recognize. They were large men, larger and taller than anyone I had ever seen. Crawling closer to them, I discovered that they were not even human.

They were fishmen. I had never seen another one of my kind before, but I knew, just by looking at them I knew. They had the same webbing between their fingers as I. They had gills. Their skin, though greyed by the ash, was of various colors: blues and greens and reds. And almost all were not of human shape, many had fins and sharp teeth, and some had multiple pairs of arms. All carried weapons in their hands or had dropped them by their feet, many of them stained with blood. And on every one of their bodies was emblazoned a tattoo of the exact same symbol: a circle, with flames radiating out from it to form a red sun. Upon seeing them I was stricken with a simultaneous repulsion and curiosity. I wanted to reach out; I wanted to touch their broken bodies, but… at the same time I knew. "They did this…" I said, my body trembling. The fear threatened to overwhelm me. I curled myself up in my knees, hiding myself from the terrible truth, but it could not be fled from. "They… they burned the city… they killed everyone…! These people just like me!" I threw my head into the air. "They were right! You fought them for me, but… Mommy, Daddy, they were right! I **am** a monster! And everyone died because of it!"

I wept into the charred sky until not a tear was left in me, then I stood up, and I left the only place I'd ever known, into the wild, where I told myself is where I belonged.


	43. Chapter 43

**Forty Three – Captured? Despair on the Red Line**

I only stayed on the road as long as it took to lead to a river at the very bottom of the misty forest valley. As soon as I heard flowing water in the distance I darted off into the trees, following the sound until I came upon the river itself. I immediately drank mouthfuls, not caring how dirty the water was. All of my mouth and my throat was raw from the fire and ash, and washing it all away was the most instant relief I'd ever felt. After cleaning my face I looked at my reflection on the water's surface. It was a hideous, non-human thing that stared back, certainly not a little girl, but a monster, and I hated it. I wanted to jump in, as I told myself that's where fish belonged, but living in a place like Redcliff all my life, I'd never learned how to swim. At that point however, I cared little for my own safety and plunged in anyway. The cold water stung the wounds on my back for a moment, but felt fantastic once it had set in and cleaned them of the ash and dirt. I'd only had a few chances before then to breathe water, but it came naturally to me, and I took a moment to look around. The water was a bit murky, but the river was narrow and shallow enough that I could see the bottom and both banks. The current wasn't that strong, but as I'd never swam before, I didn't have much control over where I went. That was fine with me though, as it didn't matter where the river took me, only that it took me somewhere far away from this place that had been obliterated by those like me.

Hunger set in a couple hours later, but I didn't know what to do about it. I'd never had to catch my own food; I'd always been given it by my parents. So I ignored it and continued floating on down the river. When it became late in the day, I came ashore and tried to sleep. It was difficult, being so hungry, but eventually I managed, drifting off into unsettling dreams. By the end of the next day however, I could not ignore it anymore. My stomach was empty and would not be unheard. I found some berries and figured I could eat them, but an hour later I threw them back up. That night held little sleep.

The third day since I left Redcliff my hunger became too fierce, and some primal instincts usurped control in order to obtain food. I met a school of salmon swimming upstream and, pretending to be some dead weight, I waited until they passed by, then lashed a tentacle into the mass of fish and managed to snatch one out as it wriggled ferociously to break loose. I knew not to eat the bones, but that was all I knew, and so the fish was consumed raw. Though it was gross, it was still the best meal I could remember having. 'Hunger is the best spice', they say.

This continued for two weeks. During that time the fish were common in that area, so I didn't go much further downstream, until they became less and less frequent and I was forced to travel onwards in order to find a new source of food. Though I didn't really learn how to swim properly, my tentacles had started to regrow, and I gained much adeptness in using them to ensnare things, namely slippery fish.

I eventually came upon a town on the shore in a spot where the river was wide and deep - so deep that I dared not look for the bottom. My first emotion as I saw the thatched roofs of the houses was elation, overwhelming joy that I found civilization again, but it was quickly replaced by sorrow. _I can't go there. That's a place for humans. If I go to them, they'll hate me, and they'll end up hurt, just like… like… _I thought back to Redcliff, to my home, at what had happened. I wanted to cry, but held back my tears. _No. Monsters don't get to cry._ It hurt tremendously to do so, but I floated on past, not even stopping for an afternoon. I saw almost immediately why the town was built where it was. Just down the river was a tall waterfall. I was almost swept over, but managed to grasp a low hanging branch of a tree and pull myself ashore just in time. Still terrified, I looked over the edge at what was almost my death. It spilled into a large lake with crystal clear waters. Unfortunately, I could not see anyway down except for a cliff path governed by the people of the town. Certain they wouldn't let me pass through, I instead ventured away from the river, into the woods, to try and find another way down.

What I got instead was lost. Darkness fell that night after I left the river, and when I awoke the next morning, I could not remember which way was which, and was utterly astray after that. All the trees looked the same, all the endless forests, the hills, the mountains, all of it was indistinguishable to me. At first I was so certain I knew where I was going, but then another day passed, and another, and another, and no river, no body of water more than a tiny lagoon. What was initially confidence turned to caution, which turned to uncertainty, which eventually, inevitably, led to hopelessness. The dredges of hunger returned to me as well. Land animals were harder for me, a creature of the sea, to catch, and when I did manage to catch a squirrel, or a fox, it tasted horrible, no doubt my body unable to consume it raw as easily as it could with fish. I learned via trial and error which plants were safe to eat and which weren't, eating only a tiny bit, and seeing how I reacted. More than not my body rejected it.

The lands of the Red Line were vast and infinite to me. A never-ending maze of mountains covered in thick forests filled with wild beasts, it was a land untamed and uncontrolled, and I was at its mercy. I discovered quickly to sleep in the trees, for when I fell asleep on the ground the wild animals tried to make a meal out of me. As a result, I became adept at moving among the canopy without falling, and I learned how to stay latched onto branches with my tentacles, even while asleep.

It helped keep me alive, but unfortunately it did little for my stomach. And in addition to the hunger of eating nothing more than scraps for months, the depression of losing everyone dear to me, and the sheer loneliness of being lost in an endless wilderness, the wounds on my back were not healing properly. It had been at least a month when I realized I should've gotten better by then, but while my tentacles had regrown completely, my back still hurt to touch, and was swollen, or worse. Some of the wounds were still open at points, and at times strange liquids oozed out from them. I should have been more worried, but I was still just a child; I could not see it, so when the pain would go away for a time, it was no longer in my mind.

However, as the days in the forest became weeks, and the weeks became months, and eventually time altogether lost any meaning other than the repetitive cycle of day and night and the slow change of seasons, my condition only worsened. I became sick. At first it was merely a cough, but soon my head became heavy, my nose ran, my eyes watered, breathing became difficult, and my energy was always drained. That, of course, made me even more miserable. I still remember it clearly – I was ready to die back then. I was expecting it. I had somehow escaped death at Redcliff when everyone else had perished. Thinking back, it's perhaps my own fault I yet lived. Despite all of this torment and agony, I never once let myself cry. Though everything in me so direly wanted those tears to flow, I would not let them. I told myself it was for all the people of Redcliff, that they never had a chance to weep as they suffered, so neither will I. I still believe to this day that if I had given up, that probably would've been the end of me, right then and there.

I don't know how long exactly I was in the wilderness, but if I had to guess, considering the fire at Redcliff was the week before my birthday, I would say somewhere between five and six months. Fortunately for me, my birthday is in March, so I did not have to suffer winter in that time. I probably would not have made it if I did.

It was just as the leaves began to change color that I once again saw people. It was not a town I came across, but a group of nomadic folk. I was lured to them by the scent of food cooking. I didn't even recognize what it was, but I had never smelled anything so absolutely delicious before in my life. At that point, I didn't care – I had to have that food. I might even kill to obtain it. Quietly I crept through the bushes. I tried to remain in stealth as best I could, to make sure I wasn't seen or heard, but my hunger was such that I found myself moving at a brisker pace than I should have been. As I came to the clearing in which they had set up camp, I took one good look at them before going in. They were a rowdy looking bunch; all human, mostly men, though the few women I spotted looked just as tough. On a spit, rotating over an open fire, was a large hunk of meat, a fresh kill, and in a grand metal cauldron nearby something was boiling.

If I had waited for the opportune moment, for the people near the food to have turned away for just long enough, I could have dashed in, stolen some of it, and fled, all before they could catch me. But I was too hungry and made a break for it while the prize was still being watched, and as a result was noticed almost instantly.

"Watch it!" One of the men near the spit shouted. "Sum'n sprang out the bushes!" The other two turned my way. I had been spotted, but I didn't care; I kept on running.

"Is that a person?" The woman by the pot exclaimed once she saw me.

"It's headin' for the food! Catch it!" Yells the third. He spread his arms out wide and tried to grab ahold of me, but I dodged to the side, snatching his arm with a couple tentacles and pushing him away from me as I did. The other man was still frightened by my appearance to move just yet, but the woman was not so timid. When I was near the pot she guarded, she grabbed a nearby metal ladel and swung it at me, clubbing me in the side of the head. I cried out in pain, then clutched at my head and wobbled about, trying to get my bearings straight again. That was more than enough time for one of the men to throw a very large burlap sack over me. He turned me upside down, and I fell into the sack, flailing and shrieking wildly.

"What the hell was that thing?" One of the men asked as the sack was tied.

"Whatever it is, it sure ain't quiet." The other man responded.

I screamed out in fury. "Lemme outta here! Lemme out!"

They all gasped. "Oh shit! It can talk!" The woman exclaimed. A small moment of confusion. "One a' you boys take it to Gus." She ordered. "He'll wanna see this."

The two argued over who was to be the one to do it, until the woman yelled at both of them to man up and both carry the sack, and me in it.

I didn't make it easy for them. I managed once to get out of their grasp and fall to the ground, but they caught me. After that stunt, one of them punched the bag and got me in the arm. "Quit your squirmin' or I'll knock your ass out!" He growled. That quieted my anger. I bided my time, waiting. _Wait for 'em to let you out, then run._ They didn't haul me far. Quickly I could hear many other voices gathering. Some wondered what was in the sack, but most were asking when the food was going to be ready.

"Boss!" One of the men carrying me shouted. "Got sum'n you'll wanna take a look at!"

"That best be dinner in that sack, or I ain't interested." A voice like the creaking of trees replied. "Been too cloudy today. Got me an appetite somethin' mean."

A small pause. Someone coughed to cleared their throat. "It's uh… it's about that, boss. This critter here jumped us while we was gettin' the grub ready."

"A… critter?" Came the voice of trees. "It's mighty big for a critter."

"That's the thing, boss! It's like a human… I think. But it ain't like no human I ever seen! Jenny said you'd prolly wanna see it."

"Let it out then. Let's see what you boys caught."

The man turned the sack upside down and out I tumbled, shocking everyone. They weren't the only ones stunned, however. Sitting before me on a large rock was a tall, well-built man whose skin was a verdant hue of green. His hair was green as well, a dark shade like a forest at night, and tangled up in it were several leaves, alive and wild.

'Well burn my ass down, it's some kind a' monster!" The green man exclaims.

I had totally forgotten about trying to run away at the strange sight of the man. When two men grabbed my arms to hold me back, I remembered, and continued to struggle. Their strength was as great as mine, but unlike me, they had control over it. I turned then to ensnare them with my tentacles, which genuinely frightened them. "That's right! I'm a monster! So don't mess with me or you'll pay!" I tried my best at taunting.

It didn't work though. "Lookie there. Little thing can talk an' all." The green man laughed, standing up. "You ain't the only one they call a monster 'round these parts." He bent down and put his hand flat on the ground. The two men holding me down immediately let go and cleared the area around me. I was confused, but still I made a move to escape. Unfortunately, the green man wasn't about to let that happen. With supernatural speed the grass around me grew to an incredible height, as tall as I was, and not only that, but it wrapped itself around all my limbs and held tight, constricting me. I was entirely immobile. The green man rose and took a couple steps towards me. "Where's that talk about makin' me pay **now**, li'l monster?" Looking up at his frightening visage, trapped by the very plantlife that was under my feet, I was wholly intimidated. I couldn't move or get a word out.

"What the hell's all the ruckus out here?" Came a voice. From one of the tents the people had set up exited a dark-skinned woman who had a slightly more refined look than the rest of the ruffians here. When she spotted me, her eyes lit up in astonishment. "Fishfolk!?" She exclaimed.

"Fishfolk?" The green man repeated. "You know what this thing is, May?"

"It ain't a thing, Gus, it's a person." Answered the woman. As soon as she said that, part of me wanted to embrace her. I craved such kind words, but at the same time I didn't feel like I deserved them.

The green man scratched his leafy scalp. "Boy says he's a monster."

I regained my voice. "I ain't a boy, I'm a girl!" I exclaimed. Some snickered.

The woman came closer to me. Whoever she was here, she had some authority. Everyone else was too afraid to move about so casually when their green hued boss had stood up to ensnare me. "Rahahaha! Well you look like a monster right now, that's for sure, all banged up. How'd a little fishie like you get this far inland? Nearest coast is four hundred miles away." She looked me over. "You look like you been through hell. You people is tough though, aintcha?" She walked around to my back, and I heard a gasp. "Somethin' messed you up good…" She said with her voice lowered. The woman then turned to the green man. "So what're your plans for her, Gus?"

Gus sat back down on the rock and sighed. "Hadn't thought about it yet." He replied.

"Why don't we sell her?" One of the men suggested. "If she as rare as May says, I reckon we'll get a hell of a price for her!" My eyes widened at his words. I had no idea then just what that implied, but it frightened me still.

"Don't really need money right now. Coffers is full to burstin' as it is." Says Gus, with a short laugh. "Hell, we eatin' mackerel tonight. Ain't never even had mackerel before." He scratched his head again. "May, you said them fishfolk is tough, right?"

"Tough as nails." May replied. "Ten times stronger than a human, and they each got special things they can do." She looked at me, namely at my tentacles. "You a squid-type, aintcha?" I didn't know. I'd never heard the word before.

"How old are you, kid?" The green man grunted.

I hesitated before answering, as he was a very imposing figure. "I… I'm eight."

"Eight!?" He exclaimed. "You almost as tall as a full-grown man, and you tellin' me you eight years old?"

"They grow bigger than humans." May explained.

"That so? Well eight ain't too young. I'll give you a proposition then, kid. Instead a' gettin' sold off in the next town over, how 'boutcha join up with us?"

"J-Join you?" I stuttered. "I… I can't do that! I'm a monster! I'm-"

Gus interrupted me with a hearty laugh. "Look who you talkin' to, kid!" All his men followed his laugh. " 'Sides, you ain't a monster. Monsters is s'pposed to scare, not the ones that **is** scared. So you in or not, kid?"

I didn't give it much thought. I was a starving, lost child, and they had food and shelter. But more importantly, what I wanted most, no matter how much I tried to deny it, was simply a home. I said yes, and from that day on I was a member of the once-infamous Nettle Bandits.


	44. Chapter 44

**Forty Four – The Way of the Bandit! Changes and Metamorphoses**

In those parts the Nettle Bandits were a well known group, mainly because of Gus. "Green Gus" they called him, on account of his Devil's Fruit power. He ate the Shoku Shoku Fruit, and as a result, not only did it give him control over plantlife, but he became a plant himself. Looking back, I don't think he quite understood the full potential of what his Fruit could do though. Still, he was powerful, and there were few who could stand up to him.

"Ya got a name, kid?" Gus asked me, releasing me from the entangling grass after I agreed to join his crew of bandits.

"Aki." I said, shyly. "I'm Aki."

He didn't say anything in response. His attention had been moved elsewhere. May, however, did still have her eyes on me. "Come with me." She says, ushering me to the tent she came from. I followed, and inside was set up a makeshift, temporary doctor's office. "No one else thought much of it, but those wounds on ya back are serious. How long you had 'em?"

I thought about it, looking down at my feet. "I dunno how long it's been." I answered.

She looked disappointed. "Well, how'd you get 'em?" She asked.

I had to think back to my memories of the fire to answer her. It was painful, but I held myself strong. "Some things fell on me. Hot metal. Burning wood." I said. "There was a fire. It burned all my home in Redcliff."

Her face turned to shock at the name. "Redcliff!?" She said in an excited whisper. "You from Redcliff!?' I nodded, fearfully. "It can't be… Are you…?" She made a quick look outside to see if anyone was in earshot, then returned inside. "Listen, don't tell nobody that's where you from, okay? Especially not Gus. If he find out you from Redcliff, you ain't gonna be able to stay here." I wasn't sure what she meant, and I still don't know exactly what Redcliff meant to Gus or the others, but I obeyed and never told a soul in the Nettle Bandits other than May about where I was from.

"Now about them wounds." May continued. "I'm sorry honey, but we gonna have to operate."

"O-Operate?" I stammered. "What's that mean?"

"They got infected. Badly. You can't see it, but your back is lookin' pretty nasty. I'm afraid I'm gon' have to do some surgery to cut off the infected tissue."

"Cut!?" I cried, taking a step back and guarding my back with my tentacles. "No! I don't wanna be cut! Why do you gotta do that!?"

"Honey, I ain't got a choice. If I don't do it, you gon' die soon." My face turned to fear. "In fact, it's amazin' you ain't already. You really are built a' tough stuff.'

I didn't want to accept it, but even more I didn't want to die. Here with these people there was a second chance. Where else would I have found people that didn't care what I was, and were strong enough to defend themselves from me? "W-Will it hurt?" I mutter.

"Rahahaha! I'm gon' putcha to sleep fo' I do it. Y'ain't gon' feel a thing 'till you wake up, and I got medicine to make the pain go away if it gets too bad then. So dontcha worry bout a thing, honey." I was still frightened terribly, but I consented to her treatment. First however, I joined the rest of the bandit crew for the best meal of my life.

* * *

When I woke up the next morning, after the surgery had been performed, she was right. The actual procedure hadn't hurt, but what followed afterwards did quite a bit for a few days. My actual recovery lasted about a month. The many infections had set in deep, and it took some time for my body to fight back and eliminate them. When all was said and done and the final bandages were removed, I was shown a mirror and found I had a number of ghastly scars running all over my backside that I would keep for the rest of my life.

The time during my recovery was most certainly not spent in relaxation; I wasn't about to get free meals. From day one, I was working alongside all the others. It didn't matter to them that I was a sick and injured child; I was as tall as a human adult and as strong as one too, so I did adult work. I was initially made to do the cleaning, but as we got ready to pick up camp and move on, they discovered my natural strength, and I found myself doing labor much more physical, taking down and putting up the tents, moving cargo on and off the pack mules. If I didn't know how to do something (and most of it I didn't), they showed me. Not only that, but Gus had the idea in him to train me in combat so that I would be a powerful force for the Nettle Bandits.

"Mr. Andy said you wanted these." I said to Gus one day as he was lying down in the grass, getting a meal out of the shining sun. I was carrying a barrel full of spare weapons.

"Yeah." He sat up. "You ever wield a blade, kid?"

"No, sir."

"Well get one outta there and try it out." I was intimidated, but did as he ordered, grabbing a curved sword by the hilt with a hand and pulling it out of the barrel.

"Swing it around a bit."

"W-What if I hurt someone?" I stammered.

"Then you doin' what the blade's meant to do, kid." Said Gus. He knew what I really meant. "You mean one a' ya friends, though. That's what practice is fo'. So swing that thing around a bit, lemme see how you handle it.' Hesitantly, I swung the blade through in the air with both hands. It wasn't heavy to me, but I had never held a weapon before in my life, and I was still frightened of what I might do with a weapon in my hands. "Yeah, you a mess. Good enough, though."

I learned just what I was 'good enough' for a few weeks later when we raided a caravan headed for Brightus, a nearby city controlled by the World Government. I never knew just what a bandit was until later, so they told impressionable eight year old me we were getting back things that had been stolen from us. Only later did I realize it was us who were actually doing the stealing. They told me there might be some fighting, but I didn't let it intimidate me. However when it came time to actually raid the caravan, my courage had waned. Gus, myself, and all of the other Nettle Bandits brought to fight were perched over a precipice overlooking a narrow mountain pass the caravan had to pass through. In the pass were the ruins of what was once a World Government outpost, built to guard travelers from people doing exactly what we were about to do. It had since been overgrown with plantlife, moss and grass and weeds, and that's all Gus needed to flex his powers.

We only waited an hour before the caravan arrived. When it did, it was only with a decent number of guardsmen. They outnumbered us slightly, but Gus's Devil Fruit powers made the work quick. A few of the guards were killed, but it wasn't by my hand. I only had the will in me to follow everyone else; when I tried to engage in combat with one of the guards he likely would have slew me, were it not for another bandit saving me just in the nick of time. When all the military force was either dead or had surrendered, we began to pilfer the loot. It was a good haul, and it made the Nettle Bandits even richer than we already were. Afterwards, when we fled back into the mountains and made up camp, May came to me. She had been checking everyone for injuries from the raid; a few had sustained serious wounds, and one man almost died from it and would need some time to recover.

"I didn't get hurt." I told her. I was still shaken by the experience. My words came out quietly, with apprehension.

"Rahahaha! Whatcha lookin' so down fo', then?" She laughed. "You too gloomy, you know that? You need to laugh more!"

"Laugh more?" I averted my eyes away from her. "I don't…"

"Laughter's the best medicine, they say. In fact… I don't think I **ever** seen you laugh before. Try it! Laugh just like me! Rahahaha!"

I didn't repeat her right away. I stood up, took a deep breath, and got my guts about me and focused. "Ryahahaha!" I shouted into the air.

"Hmm, a little different, but it'll do. Ya can't force it though – it gotta be natural like. Just keep practicing honey and you'll get it."

I stayed with the bandits for several months. Winter came and we were less active, but once the snows melted and spring arrived, we sprung out of hibernation and returned to banditry. Over that time, I lost my shyness, my apprehension; no longer was I the meek little girl sheltered in Redcliff, but a rowdy tomboy raised in the wilds of the Red Line. I was still nothing more than an average fighter, but I wasn't afraid to get my hands dirty anymore if need be. I even killed a few people, something I'm not proud of. They were all either soldiers of the World Government, mercenaries or other bandits though, no one defenseless.

* * *

It was the middle of a hot summer that I separated with the Nettle Bandits. There was a small village nestled high in the mountains unmarked on any maps that one of our scouts happened to spot. Running low on supplies, Gus decided that we were to raid it for all it was worth, strip it bare. No one disagreed. The wealth that had been accumulated the previous year had dried up and recently we had been trekking through a particularly dangerous and uncharted portion of the mountains of the Red Line. We were all hungry, save for Gus of course, who could live simply with water and sunlight. Gus planned to attack at night, so the morning before, we set up a small camp a good distance away from the village. We lit no fire, nor made much noise so that the villagers would have no idea we were coming that night. I spent the time before we set out up in a tree, lounging on a high branch. I had to focus my mind for the raid ahead. I had long since known that we were not righteous crusaders or anything of the like, but bandits, and I understood just what that meant now. _But up until now we only attacked merchants and soldiers and other bandits. We never killed nobody innocent; we always let 'em go. What if this time's different, though? _I thought back to a year ago. Becoming the fishfolk who attacked Redcliff scared me more than anything. Lately when I thought back to the attack, I was filled with nothing but anger. I wanted revenge and I wanted it badly. But at the same time, I knew: _What can I do? I'm stuck with these guys. I don't get to choose who I kill._

Below me I heard May speaking to someone. "So what's this all about?" She said, her voice hushed. I glanced down and spotted her and Gus through the thick branches of the tree I was resting in.

I heard the sound of paper rustling. "This here poster. Take a look." Came Gus's tree voice.

A pause. "You think this is…?" Says May.

"Gotta be. They say she dead, but… there ain't no way this just a coincidence."

Another pause from May. "Well whatcha gon' do with her?" "_Her"? They ain't talkin' 'bout me, are they?_

"I aims to collect, a' course. Next gov'ment town over I'm turnin' her in." I almost gasped, but kept myself as silent as a ghost.

"You serious? She's one a' us now!" May protested. "How can you just up and abandon her for a quick Berry?"

"May, everyone's hungry. More than need a li'l girl we needs to eat, and if this village don't give us enough food the boys' morale is gon' be lower than hell."

"And you think sellin' off one a they comrades is gon' make it any better? Gus, all that say is that they might be next!"

Gus sighed. "May, I know you like her, but these is desperate times. And desperate times call for desperate measures." I wasn't sure, but I thought I heard May begin to cry. "You know I wouldn't do this if I didn't have no other option. I gotta think about the needs a' everyone before I do one person."

"I know, I know." May said in between sobs. "I won't tell a soul."

"I 'ppreciate that, May, I really do. You know I love you."

I waited several minutes, until I was sure they were gone, then another half hour before coming down and returning to camp.

"Where you been, kid?" Said Gus as he noticed me.

"I uh… just resting. Savin' my strength." I stammered.

He looked at me funny for a moment. "Well good. Never know, place might have a speck a' defense after all. We headin' up there in a hour. Get yourself ready, you hear?" He took another look at me. "Sure you alright, kid? Y'ain't worried?"

"Ryahahaha!" I laughed, brushing off my uneasiness. "Worried? About what? A little village?"

Gus was not one to dwell on a subject for too long, and that was more than enough to satisfy him. I told the truth, though. I wasn't worried about the raid. I was worried about what I overheard Gus and May talking about. _I'm the only "little girl' here. I know he was talkin' about me._ _But why'd Gus say such a thing? If he was gonna get rid a' me, why didn't he do it long ago? What'd he find out? _I remembered back many months, to the day when I first joined the bandits, and May's look when I told her I was from Redcliff. _This got somethin' to do with that? Did May know this was gonna happen if someone found out? What's so special 'bout Redcliff? _I couldn't ponder about that at the moment however, as there were more pressing concerns. Namely, how I was to escape before we reached 'the next government town', however close that might be. From day one, the bandits took no chances with me or with anything. There was always someone on watch. I wouldn't be able to silently sneak away in the night, unnoticed. It would have to be during battle, during the chaos of a raid. And not just any raid – one where the odds weren't in our favor, and everyone is too preoccupied to notice me sneak away.

I wondered where I would go. I didn't want to be lost in the wild again for months, that much I was very certain of. I thought about drifting from town to town, perhaps finding the coast and heading out to sea. _That's where I __**should**__ be. And that's where I'll find the fishmen with the suns on 'em. _My mind made up, I joined the others who were preparing to hike up the mountain to where we would stage our initial attack. I decided to put the thought of my escape away for now, as there was no way this raid would be the one I would be allowed the chance.


	45. Chapter 45

**Forty Five –Enter the Mountain Fist! An Irrefusible Opportunity**

The village came into view after the sun had fallen behind the faraway mountains, during the hours of twilight. Nestled into the side of the mountain, it was just as it was described – small and without a single defender. I counted only five buildings: one noticeably larger than the others with a bell tower, three identical structures, and one leading into what looked like a cavern inside the mountain. On one side of the buildings were a couple of small fields where crops were being grown. Tending to them were a number of villagers, both adults and children, old and young. They were all your standard villagers, though; I didn't see a soul with a weapon. _I hope they don't try and fight back._

"Look at 'em." One of the bandits remarked. "Ain't a fighter in sight."

"And here I thought this was gon' be work." Said Gus. He stood up and gave the signal to advance onto the village and we complied, pouring out from the woods onto the fields where already Gus was working his powers on the plants growing there. I had seen it dozens of times, but I was still astonished as I watched them grow, and like they had a will of their own, entangling themselves around the villagers who had been tending them just a moment ago. What surprised me though, as I and the other bandits ran into the village, is that the people Gus had ensnared did not show the signs of fear and astonishment I had expected them to. In fact, it was the exact opposite – they looked unimpressed, ready even, like they had been expecting this to happen.

Ignoring that oddity, I joined everyone else in brandishing my blade and helping to hold the village folk hostage as Gus made his way in to join us. He held the same demeanor he always did in battle – proud, powerful, arrogant. "Nice place ya'll got here!" He exclaimed, walking among us, looking at all the villagers helpless by his plants. "Tucked all the way out here in the boonies where ain't nobody gon' find ya. Even gotchaselves a nice view a' the mountains. Yep, I betcha'll got-"

"Oh, would you get on with it and tell us what you want?" One of the villagers, a young, bearded man entangled in a potato plant, quipped.

Gus's green cheeks flushed a shade closer to brown in anger. "The hell'd you say, boy?" He raged, storming over to the man, who had his head turned to the side in a small grin. A couple of the other villagers snickered under their breath. Even the one whom I had a blade up against was stifling a giggle. "Ya'll got sum'n to say, too? You better watch your tongues, 'fore I make my plants snap 'em off!"

" 'Watch our tongues!' " Another mimicked. This one was only a little boy, no older than me.

"That's hard to do!" Exclaimed a girl his age, her tongue stuck out and her eyes cross-eyed trying to look down at it. All the villagers had a laugh at that.

"The hell's wrong with these people?" Said one of the bandits. "Can't they see we got them at our mercy?"

Gus growled savagely under his breath. "They think they can get away with this…" He turned to the nearest villager and roared "Which one a' you clowns is in charge 'round here?"

"That would be me." Came an old voice.

"Master! I was wondering when you'd show up!" Someone said cheerfully. Out from the building with the bell tower came an old man, calmly, quietly. I didn't even have to be told he was the leader of this village; I could tell just by his demeanor, his stature. His hair was snow white, and it flowed down his shoulders like a waterfall of ice. On his chin was a thin beard of equal radiance, and below that grey vestments that looked as ancient as he was.

"Yes, yes. I was coming, of course." He smiled. "You weren't worried, were you?"

"Old man!" Yelled Gus, impatient and furious, walking straight up to him. His angry eyes were met with those of another form of anger. A controlled anger. For the first time since I joined the Nettle Bandits, I feared someone more than I did Gus. Even though Gus was a giant green monster over a foot taller than him, the old man showed not an ounce of fear. It was the opposite – **he** was the one in control of the situation. "You the one who runs this funny farm?"

"That I am." The old man replied. "But I would prefer it if you didn't-"

Gus had heard enough. I saw his fist clench, and I knew what was coming next. Gus would land a punch square in the old man's jaw, shattering it.

But that was not what happened. "Begone." The old man said calmly, and with a speed I'd never seen, flicked a couple fingers against his would-be assailant's chest. Gus was knocked back like he'd been hit by a boulder, tumbling to the ground and spewing up dust. I, along with all the bandits, was left with my jaw on the floor.

The villagers were only laughing. "That's our Master for you!" One cheered. The old man gave them a fatherly smile, then with a wave of the same hand, the constricting plants gave slack, and all the villagers were able to move again, much to their happiness. _Wh… who's this man? How's he got such power? _I was too dumbstruck to notice the villager whose neck I had had a blade up to had escaped as well. Regaining my spirit before the rest of the bandits, I moved to return my sword towards him, but with a movement both graceful and powerful, he moved in close to me and blocked my arm with his before I could even get it close to him, then grabbed my wrist and gave it a twist while pinching a nerve, so that I dropped the blade instantly and fell to the ground.

"Why you…" Gus snarled. With a battle cry, he got to his feet, then put his hands on the ground to control all the plants around him. Once the grass and weeds started twisting through the air, everyone, both bandit and villager, began to fight. The villagers all fought the same as the one who defended against my attack – barehanded, with powerful blocks, punches, and grabs. I thought for sure Gus's powers would end them, but it seemed they had measures even for that. The older villagers, middle-aged and elderly men and women, sliced straight through the plants, no matter how thick they were, as though their hands were sickles. The others were up against the rest of the bandits, and the bandits were losing; it didn't take long for me to figure that out.

Amidst all the chaos, I remembered. _This… this is my chance! They won't notice me if I run now!_ Every fiber of my being was shaking with fright; I stumbled away, crawling backwards on all my limbs, away from the fray. Eventually I managed to get to my feet and make a dash for the woods. As soon as I was out of sight, I fell against a tree to catch my breath as well as calm down. I had never been in such a heated battle, and I was still only a child. I grabbed my wrist where the man twisted it and rubbed it gently.

I should have fled right then and there. I should have ran and ran and ran, but something in me kept me there, just far enough away from the village that I could still hear the sounds of battle. I was unsure. I had finally found a home, or at least people to call a family. _But do they think the same way? Gus said he was gonna get rid of me just like that._ _I… I was right. I can't stay with them neither. I can't stay with anyone, can I?_ I wanted to cry, but I wouldn't let the tears flow. I held them in, I bit my tongue, and I endured it. But it was all too much for my child's mind to take. Overwhelmed, I fell into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

My eyes were heavy, and took some effort to open when I awoke. The first thing I realized was that my head was not against the side of a tree. It was lying down on something soft, a fabric of some sort. This prompted me to open my eyes, sit up, and see just what happened.

I was inside, in a small room of humble design and manner, with nothing fancy or gaudy in it. A small window showed me it was the dead of night. There was little furniture: only a desk, a small chest of drawers, and a bed on which I was sitting. The walls were of a simple wood, and the floor was made of smooth straw mats.

It was just then that I noticed I was not alone. Or to put it more accurately, it was when **he** let me notice. In the center of the room was the old man with the snow-white hair, seated in a lotus position, his eyes closed and his back turned towards me. "You're awake." He said.

Immediately I panicked. I threw the sheet off of me and backed into the corner of the room. I looked around for something to defend myself with, but there was nothing in the room, so I tried to threaten him with my tentacles instead. "Who are you!?" I yelled. "What d'you want with me? Where's everyone else?"

The old man turned around and smiled. "Which do you want to me to answer first, young one?" He said. His eyes were comforting, not the fearful eyes of power and anger that I saw before. "By everyone else, I assume you mean the bandits?" I didn't respond, but he could see that's what I meant. "They abandoned you. I told them you fled, and they simply left." _They left? They didn't even bother lookin' for me? _I had thought I was worth more to them than that. "I'm sorry if they were your comrades, but they are gone now. Defeated, they will never come here again."

My grief had shifted to anger. "Why'd you tell 'em that!?"

"It was the truth, was it not? During the chaos of the battle, I saw you flee. I simply told them what I witnessed. Later I followed you and found you asleep in the woods. I then brought you back here." He paused, and I tried to think of the words to say, but could find none. "Now then, your other two questions I can answer at once. My name is Khüch, and this is the Mountain Fist dojo."

"Do…jo?" I repeated. I had never heard the word before, and his name was strange. I never was able to pronounce it exactly like he did.

"Yes, your former leader picked a bad place to attack. This is a place where people come to learn the martial arts. I am the current master here."

_So it's like a school?_ I had seen the other kids in Redcliff go to school, but I was schooled at home by my parents, so I had never been myself. "What's 'martial arts'?" I asked, timid. "Is that how you beat Gus?"

His white eyebrows rose a sliver. 'Gus? I assume that is the green man who ate a Devil's Fruit?"

'A Devil's Fruit?" I said. I didn't know what one was then. Gus always just told me he was a monster, and I believed him. "What's that?"

"My, you're full of questions, aren't you? Nobody knows what exactly Devil's Fruits are. If you eat one, they grant you with amazing and sometimes strange powers, but in return you become unable to do anything in the water. You can't swim, and you simply sink to the bottom like a weight."

_So that's what he did… Gus wasn't a monster, he was just another human. _"Then you ate one too, right? Because you were able to beat him!"

The old master laughed quietly to himself. "No, no. My power comes from within." He pointed to his chest.

"From… within?"

"Yes. We all have this power, whether we know it or not. It's all energy, young one. The world is full of an infinite number of energies. If one learns to control those energies, they will have controlled the universe." There was a moment of silence, in which the only sound came from outside, the mad chirping of crickets. "But don't think I can actually do that, please! I'm still learning, as are we all. As we all ever shall be. I've never felt I needed the help of a Devil to grow strong, however."

I thought back to Redcliff, to the nameless fishfolk of the red sun. "If I had that kinda power..." I muttered to myself. "then I bet I could beat 'em…'

His eyebrows rose again. "You have a desire to grow strong, young one?"

"W-What?" I stammered, startled. "I… I do. No… I don't wanna grow strong. I **gotta**! I got…" I raised my voice, "I got a duty! Somethin' I gotta do! For those who're dead... and can't do it themselves."

There was another cricket-filled silence. It was the master who broke it. "Would you like to stay here, young one? Stay here and train that inner power of yours so that you might fulfill this obligation of yours?"

I didn't know what to say. "S-Stay? Here? I… but… don't you know what I am?"

"Fishfolk, are you not?" The master replied. "I have come across your people in the past, long ago when I was a young man travelling the world. I can only imagine how you came to be in this remote part of the world, so far away from the sea." He smiled. "But do not worry; I have no fear or hatred of your people. All are welcome here, regardless of their heritage or their past."

I kept telling myself this was all too good to be true, that I was still asleep or that they would regret taking me in if they did, but I couldn't go back to being alone. I simply couldn't. And he was right: I **could** achieve the strength I needed to avenge everyone who perished at Redcliff. I could make up for my poisoned heritage and do something good with my life with the power I would obtain there.

"Do you wish it then? Do you wish to join us here, and walk the path to inner strength?" He extended a hand to me. I was still huddled in the corner, and fearfully, I reached out with a tentacle first, to poke it and make sure this really wasn't all just a dream, that he was real, and then with a hand to grasp his. When our palms met, his smile grew. "I'm delighted." He said. "But first, if you are to join us, we have to know your name, don't we?"

The smile was copied onto mine. "Aki!" I said optimistically. "Aki Sinagra!"

"Let me be the first to welcome you to the Mountain Fist, Aki." He said. "Now that you are a member though, you must call me Master Khüch, or simply Master will do. We must respect tradition, for without tradition, we aren't really **teaching** anything, are we?" I didn't understand then, but I went along with what he said anyway. "And second, you should get back to sleep. You've had a long day, and you'll have a longer one tomorrow. You can use my bed tonight, but tomorrow you will be sleeping with the other students."

"This is **your** bed, Kh- I mean, Master Khüch?"

"Yes, but don't worry yourself. I will have no problem sleeping on the floor. Even a master must remember humility once in a while." It was a silly sight, I a young girl sleeping on the bed while the old, dignified man slept on the straw mat floor, but it was at the same time one of the most restful nights I've ever had.


	46. Chapter 46

**Forty Six – A Life of Training! The Early Days of Pupilage**

The next morning I was awoken by Master Khüch at the crack of dawn. I would be waking up that early every day from then on, as daylight wasn't to be wasted. The first order of business was to introduce myself. Master Khüch gathered everyone in the main hall. I never have liked being the center of attention, and it took some self-coaxing to get myself to walk out in front of them. Only a few gawked at me like I was some kind of a spectacle to be shown and that was mostly the kids, the younger students around my age. It still didn't help my stage fright.

"My name's Aki." I announced, my gaze turned away from the eyes of the others. "I'll be joinin' ya'll here." I didn't know what else to say; an awkward quiet filled the hall instead. I glanced out across the heads looking my way for just a second or two. There were exactly twenty-nine people at the dojo, but of course I couldn't tell that then; all I knew was that I was on the eyes of too many. All of them wore similar attire – very common, hand-stitched robes or tunics and pants.

"How old are you, Aki?" One of the adults, a short woman in her thirties, asked to break the silence.

"I'm… I'm nine years old." I told them. I heard a couple quiet gasps.

"No way!" A voice exclaimed. It was the little girl who had comically tried to "watch her tongue" the day before and made everyone laugh. "I'm nine too!" She said. "You're a lot taller than me though!" Some small laughter throughout the hall.

The bearded man who first stood up to Gus spoke. "I think Natsu just volunteered herself to be Aki's partner." He said. Another round of laughter.

"But Natsu's already my partner!" A young boy protested.

Master Khüch stepped forward. "I see no problem in having a team of three." He said. "Natsu, Haru, you will both be Aki's partner. Be sure to show her around, yes?"

"Yes, Master!" Natsu faithfully replied.

"Great. Another girl…" Haru grumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Master!" More laughter. Everyone dispersed then, back to whatever it was they were doing before this brief gathering. With them left my nervousness, and as soon as their watchful eyes were off of me, I let out a heavy sigh of relief.

Natsu was the first to approach me after. "C'mon, lemme show you around!" She said cheerfully. "You're coming too, Haru!" She added. The boy groaned.

We walked outside to behind the hall, where one could get a grand view of the mountains. They paid it little mind, but I was stunned by just how breathtaking it was. The dojo was so high in altitude that one could see on for miles and miles and miles. Some said you could see the edge of the Red Line, though I never made it out. All I could see were endless snow-capped mountains and the valleys that lay in between them.

"So why's your head shaped like that?" Haru asked, his voice lowered so as to feign disinterest.

I stuttered in answering. "Um… 'cause… I'm a fishgirl."

"Fishgirl?" The boy repeated. "Natsu, you know what that is?"

The girl shook her head. "M-mm." She looked up at me with curious eyes. "Is that why your skin is all purpley pinky?"

I nodded. "And why I got these." I moved my tentacles around, lifting the front two up towards her.

The kids gasped. "That's so cool!" Natsu exclaimed. "What else can you do?"

My mood lightened a bit. I told them I could breathe underwater and they both simply couldn't believe it. They then had a bit of fun grabbing my hands and poking at the webbing in between my fingers. The two were a physical contrast: Natsu's skin was a deep, dark tan, with thick black hair and rounded features, while Haru was a pale child, with hair as red as fire and angles in his face that betrayed his age.

Eventually their curiosity was a bit too much and I told them to quit looking at my gills and messing with my tentacles. They then showed me where everything was in the dojo. There wasn't much: just the main hall where the belltower and the highest ranks had their rooms, the three identical buildings which were filled with bunkbeds where everyone else slept, two fields, one for training and one for growing food, and the entrance to a cave tunnel in the mountain that led to a natural hot spring.

I then met one of the older members, a man by the name of Seth. Though I was affixed to Natsu and Haru as partners, I had no specific tutor; everyone taught everyone at the Mountain Fist dojo. I was anxious to learn how to fight like them, but Seth told me that the first task all students had to do was make the clothing they would wear while learning. It symbolized the end of an old way of life and the will to proceed into a new one. In addition, I was not given step-by-step instructions on how to do it; to familiarize myself with everyone at the dojo, I had to gain the knowledge by speaking to all the different people there. At first I was hesitant to approach them, but I learned upon finally speaking with everyone that they were all friendly people – a refreshing change from what I was used to. It took me a week to make the clothing, from gathering the plants to spinning the thread to weaving the actual cloth and ultimately piecing it together. The gi I ended up with shabby, but they told me everyone's first work was shabby and not to let it get me down. I didn't; I was too excited to finally begin my training to be too discouraged.

And begin we did. The training was rigorous. The first thing I was made to do was to promise to never again wield a blade; everyone had seen what came of that. Then I more or less had to wipe clean what little I knew about fighting and begin anew. Learning of actual forms and techniques was only about five to ten percent of everything I did, however. Most of my time, especially in the beginning, was simple exercise to train physical attributes: strength, endurance, speed, agility, perception, and so on. "The martial arts are something one has to prepare the body for." Master Khüch himself told me, when I was beginning. "If a body unready for those energies tries to control them, they will rip the poor fool apart." Fortunately for me, I had naturally ten times the strength of a human my age, so my physical training was briefer than most. As a result, somewhere around two years after I began training at the Mountain Fist dojo, when I was eleven years old, I had caught up with Natsu and Haru in ability. It wasn't anything formal like a new rank, the three of us had been working and living together long enough that we could just… tell. Haru still beat us in most of the sparring matches, but we were pretty much even in ability.

"Hey, Aki." Haru said one cold day late that autumn while I was raking the last leaves from the trees into a pile.

"Y-y-yeah?" I replied, shivering.

He stopped to look at me for a second. "Are you shivering? It's barely cold at all."

I gave a sigh of disgust. "You were whinin' all summer about the heat, now it's my turn." I complained. He scoffed silently. "So what d'you want?"

"It's uh… well…" he stuttered.

"C'mon, spit it out!"

"It's about Natsu!" He suddenly exclaimed with an excited voice, then shrunk away, embarrassed.

"N-Natsu?" I replied. I felt a tinge of bashfulness in myself as well as her name escaped my lips. "What about her?"

"Could… could you tell her somethin' for me?" Haru asked.

"Why can't you tell her yourself? She's with Layla cleanin' the hot spring, ain't she?" I pointed over to the small building built into the side of the mountain.

Haru's embarrassment increased, and his pale cheeks grew a shade redder. "I can't- I… I mean, I don't know. It's just… look don't tell anyone, but I get all choked up every time I try and talk to her."

I dropped the rake. "You too!?" I exclaimed, putting my hands on his shoulders. I then realized just how loud I spoke, and let go, looking around to make sure nobody was listening. "I mean… it's happenin' to you too? I thought it was just me! You don't think it's…"

Haru looked at me in an inquisitive manner. "You? But why would you…? You're both girls!"

"I know, right!? It don't make no sense!"

We both put a hand to our chins in thought. "So it ain't **that**…" Said Haru. "She must be doing somethin' to mess with our heads."

"Like witchcraft?" I said, fearfully.

"Who knows? We gotta figure it out though." He said. I nodded, coming to the same conclusion.

Completely forgetting about raking the leaves, I followed Haru to the entrance to the hot spring. Slowly we opened up the painted wooden door, making sure not to let it creak. Inside a tunnel leading upwards had been carved into a messy staircase. The stairs then eventually led back outside where the hot spring sat not far from the mountain's peak. I had been here many times before, but it still always gave me the creeps just a little bit being in this narrow, claustrophobe's nightmare of a hallway, with an unimaginable amount of weight that could come crashing down upon you if the mountain decided to jostle. The tunnel was so skinny that if you met someone going the opposite way, one of you had to turn back, as there was no way the two of you were passing each other.

Silently we climbed into the mountain, listening for any voices. We heard none, until at last we saw the cold daylight from the other end of the tunnel. We recognized their owners instantly as Layla, a pupil of fifteen years of age, and Natsu. Immediately I stopped and shrunk down to the ground. Behind me Haru did the same.

"That's them!" I whispered.

"Quiet then!" He shushed me.

We both listened intentively. We could hear faint voices, but not make out what was being said. "I think they got in the spring!" I gasped. "Can you hear what they're sayin'?"

I was shushed again. "No, so shut up!"

I grumbled. _He don't gotta say it like __**that**__…_ I peeked out just a bit. I couldn't make out any bodies, only see the steam rising out from the spring. A little further and I would surely spot them, and they me. "We shouldn't be here, Haru. C'mon, let's just wait for 'em to get out."

"**I **shouldn't be here, but there's no problem if **you** go and ask her!"

"W-w-what? Me!? N-no way! I can't-"

"Someone there?" I heard Layla's high voice call out.

Haru and I both freeze and exchange terrified glances. "Too late!" He cringed. "Go! Go!" He started to push me through the tunnel, but I latched onto the wall.

"No! I can't! I can't go in there!" I plead. "Don't make me do this!"

He wouldn't give up. Fighting dirty, he stuck a finger in a spot he knew I was ticklish in, the back of my head in between the bases of my tentacles, and wiggled it about. Instantly I lost my grip and the two of us tumbled onto the stone tile patio just before the hot spring itself. I heard a shriek, but didn't know which one of them made it. There was a brief silence as everyone made sense of the scene.

"Haru, what the hell!?" Layla then exclaimed angrily.

The young boy was already bolting back down the stairs in terror. "W-Wait up!" I exclaimed, scrambling to my feet. "Wait for me!"

"Aki, it's okay." Said Layla, her temper beginning to quell.

"Yeah, you're a girl." chimed Natsu, "You don't have to go!"

I stopped in my tracks. "R-Right!" I stuttered. _What am I nervous about?_ "Right, it's all Haru's fault, that…" I turned around and saw a sight too gorgeous for my budding young eleven-year old brain to fully comprehend. Two girls, one of whom already far into womanhood, both completely in the nude – I didn't know what to do anymore. My mind froze. Instead of words, mere syllables trickled out like a dripping faucet.

"Aki, you okay?" Asked Natsu.

"I… I… uh… guh… I…"

"Why don't you relax for a bit in here as well?" Layla suggested.

I could only get out a single word, "Yes." Mechanically, fearing every move I made, I slipped off my clothes and went into the spring. I used to come here all the time to relax, especially in winter, but that particular time it wasn't relaxing at all. **They** were relaxed, but I was tense, and I wasn't at all sure why.

Layla sighed. "Seriously though, that Haru. He could at least wait until puberty; then I'll know he's just being a teenage boy and can't help it."

" 'Can't help it'? Can they really not…?" Natsu gasped innocently. Layla laughed, but didn't respond.

I wasn't listening. Well, I was trying to, but I was far too nervous. My head felt bloated and I could feel the blood pumping into my brain. Without thinking, I slipped underneath the water and lay down against the floor. I could just barely make out the others' muffled voices, though the water itself was too opaque to see through, either way.

"Did Aki just…?" Said Natsu.

"I don't know **what's** up with her." Replied Layla. "As soon as she came in it's like she locked up. She can breathe water, right?"

"Mmhmm. Aki!" Natsu shouted into the water. "If you don't come out from down there we're going to fish you out!"

I jolted and began to panic. _What do I do? What do I do? I don't want them to… I mean… no, I do… but… no!_ Doing the first thing that came to mind, I stuck the tip of a tentacle up out of the water, I guess I was hoping it would distract them. Unfortunately, it did the exact opposite. Layla swam across the spring, grabbed it, and began to pull. Freaking out, I instinctively resisted, pulling back. However, even though I was younger than her, being fishfolk my raw, instinctive strength outshone hers, and she was dragged down into the water, directly on top of me. Such a sensual encounter between my body and another's had never before occurred, and Madam Layla truly was a gorgeous, young woman. Two jets of blood streamed out from either nostril into the waters of the hot spring and immediately Layla shrunk away from the spreading red blob while I, embarrassingly, rose to the top of the water fainted like a dead fish.

* * *

I awoke in my cot with a splitting headache. When I fully came to, I realized I was alone in the room with Natsu. That only made me nervous again, made the pounding worsen.

"I knew you weren't feeling well." She said, completely oblivious. 'You got really sick last winter too, didn't you?" She tried to feel my forehead, but I shrunk away.

"I ain't…!" I exclaimed, then quieted my voice. "I ain't sick. Not like that anyway."

We had been partners long enough, and children at that, that Natsu held no concept of personal distance between the two of us. Even though I backed away from her, she hopped up onto the bed with me. I could feel my heart thumping in my chest. "Well what is it then? Come on, you can tell me! We're best buddies, ain't we?"

_No! You're the one person I can't tell! _Despite my mind telling me to abandon ship, I foolishly answered. "I… I think… I kinda… gotta crush on someone."

Natsu made a squeal only an eleven year-old girl could produce. "No way! Who!? Who is it!?" She started naming off the boys around our age. "Gilly? Mako? Jazz? Is it someone outside the dojo?" She gasped, and lowered her voice. "It isn't… Haru, is it?"

"No!" I exclaimed, horrified at the thought. "It's…" _It's you, Natsu!_

"It's who!? C'mon, tell me!"

"It's Layla!" I panicked, so I lied. I curled in the ends of my tentacles, a bad habit I've always had whenever I lie.

She was just as stunned, and I still was unable to look her in the eye after I blurted the name out. "Lay…la?" She sounded out the syllables, like she had to relearn how to pronounce them. "But Layla's a…"

"A girl! I know! I ain't s'pposed to be like that! But I don't… I just don't like boys… like that!" I hid my face in my tentacles in shame. "I don't know why!"

I felt Natsu's hand peel a tentacle away slowly. I offered no resistance. "That's not really a problem, is it?" I moved another out of the way to peek out. "I mean… you like who you like, right?" She paused, deciding whether or not to say what she had in her mind. "Do you… feel the same way… about me?"

I jumped in my skin for a moment. "No!" Was the reflexive response of self-preservation that came out, even if it wasn't the truth. Her look at the response told me she wasn't entirely satisfied with it, so I tacked on more. "No, we're friends!" I said. "Not… you know… No way! Best friends!"

A smile of relief appeared on her face. "Right! Okay! I'm gonna do what I can to help you!"

"Help me?" I muttered.

"With Layla of course! 'Cause that's what best friends do!" _Hehe… right… Layla._ I decided not to protest, instead to keep up the masquerade, at least for a while. "Now then! First, you gotta call the one you love a pretty name, to show them you really mean it, okay?"

"Like what?" I asked.

She thought for a moment. "My Auntie would always call men 'Monsieur' and ladies 'Madam' when she wanted to be nice. How about that?"

I tried it on for size. "Madam Layla…" I said out loud. _Madam Natsu… I like it!_

"Good! Use it on everyone for a day or two, so you don't look suspicious, okay?"

"Yes… Madam Natsu!" I chimed.

She stammered for a moment. "Ergh… maybe not **everyone**."

"Ryahahaha!" I grinned. "Too late!"

"Whatever. Just don't confess yet. Wait a little bit, then do it when the time is right. You got that?"

I nodded. "You're amazing, Natsu! How d'you know so much?"

"I'm just saying what my Auntie used to tell me when I still lived with her." We had never delved into each other's pasts, Natsu, Haru and I. But then, I felt, if I wanted to get closer to the one I **really** had genuine feelings for (even if they were just juvenile eleven year-old feelings at the time), that wall would have to come down between us eventually.

"I never knew." I said. "I never knew you lived somewhere else before the dojo."

"Mmhmm. I'm from Weston." Weston was a small village a few weeks journey from the dojo. I'd never been there, but some of the others had. "My parents were both Marines, and they died when I was only a baby, so my Auntie raised me until I was six. Then…" a vein of sadness appeared in her young features, "she didn't have enough money to feed both of us. Solo was in the village then, and offered for me to stay at the dojo instead. I didn't really have a choice, so I said yes." Happiness returned to her face. "I'm happy I did, though. I really like it here. I hope I never have to leave." She looked to me. "So what about you, Aki? Where are you from?"

I was hesitant to say, as I had never spoken to a soul about my past, but I went ahead and told her my story. She listened attentively, never interrupting, and when it was over, once I ended with waking up in Master Khüch's room, she responded with nothing more than a full, heartfelt hug, a silent transaction of emotions from one partner to the other. I kept the nosebleed in.


	47. Chapter 47

**Forty Seven – Overwhelming Fear! A Mission of Insight**

I spent half my life at the Mountain Fist dojo. Time passed at a slow pace; there were times when it seemed strange that I had ever lived elsewhere. The seasons passed like clockwork and life was seldom disrupted. We did get visitors, though usually it was merely folk from the nearby villages. Only a handful of times was it anyone else, a lost wanderer, or a warrior in search of our hidden art, whom we gladly accepted in. Near the end of my time there we even had a small pack of bandits show up, not unlike how I first discovered the place. It wasn't until 1521, not long after I turned nineteen years old, that I left, and it was not of my own will that I did. Ten years after I began training, Master Khüch decreed that the first phase of training, the physical aspect, had ended. Or, to put it as he did, "that I had reached a limit in my physical abilities" that could only be surpassed with the aid of the second phase of training, the mental aspect. I always knew this was next, but I couldn't believe it had taken so long. I observed the older students in their meditation and mental exercise from time to time, and it always looked so simple. When I was younger I had trouble believing that I wasn't ready for sitting down really still. Master would always laugh when I said this, and tell me that just like how the physical arts of the Mountain Fist would destroy an unprepared body, so would the mental arts destroy an unprepared mind. Natsu and Haru both agreed with him, Natsu calling me impatient and Haru calling me whiny. It wasn't until my later teenage years that I finally came to understand just how true Master's words were. And it wasn't much longer after that that he said I was ready to begin the mental training myself. It came to Natsu, Haru and I all around the same time, this knowledge.

The first part of the mental training was a spiritual journey. Master Khüch wouldn't tell us anymore than that; the three of us were to set out on an expedition into the Red Line, with the goal of coming to a realization about one's self. Though I was afraid to, terrified even, I knew exactly where I needed to go.

"I wanna return to Redcliff." I told Natsu and Haru the night before we were to set out. The three of us were sitting down against the old pomegranate tree that grew near the face of the mountain. We were adults then; we had changed significantly from the three children that entered the Mountain Fist dojo. Haru was a lanky young man of average height. He had come to shave his head regularly and wear a goatee, a fiery orange loop around his mouth. Natsu become a gorgeous young woman in our years there, with a perfectly feminine body that never ceased to set my heart a-flutter. I on the other hand… Well, I tried once or twice to become somewhat of a proper woman, I really did, but despite my best attempts it just wasn't going to happen. It certainly didn't help that I wasn't exactly the archetype for an ideal woman's figure at all. My eyes saw at a height of eight feet, and I never had much going in the curves department. Natsu would always say she was jealous, that her… 'assets', shall I say… had only made the martial arts harder. I would offer to trade, which always produced laughs from both of us.

They both looked at me for a moment, not quite sure what to say to my sudden declaration. "Your hometown?" Said Haru. I nodded.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Natsu asked.

"To be honest – no, I ain't sure." I reply. "Which is why… it's terribly embarrassin' for me to ask this, but… could you two come along?"

"Aww...!" Haru cooed in baby-talk. "Wittle Aki is scared!"

"Shut up! You know it ain't that!" I growled. "I wouldn't ask this from no one else."

"Of course we'll go with you." Natsu smiled, putting her hand over mine.

Hearts lit up in my eyes. "Madam Natsu!" I exclaimed, grasping her hand. "I knew you'd understand! Truly your sweetness knows no bounds!"

Natsu slipped her hand out. "Nice try." She said with a smirk. It had long been common knowledge that I had the hots for her, and every time, despite my best efforts, she always shot me down.

We left the next day after a full night's sleep and agreed to travel to Weston first to see how Natsu's aunt was doing. I'd seen her once or twice before, and every visit held a million new things she had to tell us about. We enjoyed the talk, though. News of the rest of the world was amazing for those kept hidden in the Red Line, and we soaked all of it in. Though one could hardly tell it from here, the world was in the Great Age of Piracy, and news of pirates was all that dominated the grapevine – ruthless pirate captains being captured by heroic Marine officers, fleets of pirates setting out in blazes of conquest, even pirates invading entire kingdoms and driving their rulers into exile. Once I discovered the name behind the fishmen pirates who attacked Redcliff, the Sun Pirates, I always hoped for information about them, but there never was any. When we left it was with a regretful heart, as she still had much to talk about, but she understood that we were on a mission and bid us a good journey.

"We're following your lead now, Aki." Said Natsu as we left her aunt's house and began to make for the edge of the village. "Unless you have somewhere you want to go too, Haru?"

"Not really. I'll take my time and let it come when it's supposed to." He said, then turned to me and asked. "So d'you even know the way there? Back to your hometown?"

"I bought a map from a peddler a few months back." I answered, reaching behind me in my pack and pulling out a large piece of folded up paper. "It goes all the way from the Northern Icefields to as far south as Mariejois. Turns out Redcliff wasn't too far from the capital itself."

"The capital!?" Haru exclaimed. "We're going all the way to the capital? Do you realize how far away that is?"

"It ain't **that** close to Mariejois; it's about two hundred miles or so away from it. A decent piece for a journey, don't you think?"

"That's still going to take forever to get to!"

"Pff. What happened to 'I'll take my time'?" I jeered. Haru held only a small growl under his breath as a response.

* * *

The journey took us two months, into the hot summer of the South that I remembered from my youth. Most of the journey was spent on the main road that goes up and down the Red Line and would eventually take one to Mariejois. It wove in and around the mountain valleys, taking us through forests, over lakes, and along cliff walls. I wanted direly to at least glimpse upon the ocean, but never did the road lead us there, much to my disappointment. It stopped in many towns, some small hamlets, some large centers of trade, larger than I'd ever seen. I was always a spectacle to the people there, as almost all had never seen fishfolk before. Fortunately, having Natsu and Haru by my side made things much easier than if I had been alone.

When the road reached a certain junction, I saw something that sent a wave of cold through my body. A wooden sign, shaped like an arrow, pointing in the direction of the alternate road; on it had been carved the name 'Redcliff' in fancy capital letters, and through them someone had made a slash across the word.

Haru let out a cheer. "Finally!" he exclaimed. "I thought we'd never make it!"

"This is the place, right?" Asked Natsu. I didn't respond. I couldn't. Words wouldn't form themselves in my mouth. A creeping fear that had lain dormant for so many years was returning, and it held me firmly in its grip. It was only when Natsu put a hand to my arm and said "Aki?" that the trance was broken and I found my voice.

"Y-Yeah…" I gasped. "This is… You know, we ain't gotta… to go if ya'll don't want to. I'm fine with-"

"Ohh no." Said Haru, snatching my other arm. "You dragged us all the way out here; we're going." Natsu agreed, and they began pulling me down the road like I was a mule gone stubborn, until I shook them off and assured them I could (and would) walk on my own. As we made our way down the forgotten road, I felt a helplessness I had not known for many years. When I heard the flowing water in the distance I knew exactly where we were. _This is where I left the path and jumped into the river…_

Natsu and Haru both noticed I had stopped walking. "Aki?" Said Natsu. "What's the matter?"

"It's… it's ah… I don't think I can… I don't think I can do this." I said, heavy breaths lacing every other word. She and Haru both looked worried. Neither of them had ever known me this frightened before. Hell, **I'd** never known me this frightened before.

To my surprise, it was not Natsu who did the kind thing, but Haru. He grabbed my hand in his. "C'mon, you big, purple baby." He said, and led me along down the path. I didn't try and resist his once in a lifetime kindness, though I was having trouble making the slow ascent up the bottom of the mountain, which would eventually lead to the plateau where Redcliff once stood. My steps were unsure, and my knees buckled every now and then. It was a terrible regression; I felt like a child again, unable to even function without the help of others. When the woods finally cleared and we ascended over the small hill in the path that let the remnants of the town come into view, I lost control entirely and fell to my knees.

Redcliff was nothing but a massive ruin. Plants had grown here and there, but it still held the same shade of charred black and grey as it did the day I left it. Everything remained untouched, as though the world had simply forgotten the town's existence and moved on, letting nature reclaim it in its slow, slow process. Skeletons both of structures and of people were all that were left. Not far into the front gate I spotted the remains of the battle with the fishmen, a graveyard of bones. I immediately shut my eyes, knowing very well whose bones were among them. I remembered all the feelings of that horrible day, the pain of the fire burning into my back, the suffocating ash charring my throat.

I wasn't the only one horrified. Natsu and Haru entered into a state of melancholy, the sheer magnitude of the death and destruction too overwhelming for anyone to properly handle. Though I had told them both of my past, seeing it was something else entirely.

"Aki…" Natsu gasped. "I understand if you don't wanna be here anymore."

"No." I said quickly, a gulp in my throat. "I can't… I can't. I gotta… there's somewhere here I gotta go." Though I was still terribly affected, the initial shock had subsided somewhat. I found my legs again and rose to my feet, slowly, tremblingly.

"Are you sure? We don't mind…"

I was already stumbling through the remains of front gate without a word. They followed, unsure of just what it was I came here for. _I need to return to that place. If I don't do it now, I never will._ Despite everything being in ruins, I still remembered my way. I could see it all still in my mind, as though I were seven years old again and Redcliff was still a shining young town. And when I finally came to it, when I finally stood in front of the structure's remains, I remembered every bit of it how it had been. Earthen-colored bricks, a roof the color of bright red autumn leaves, it all came rushing into me in a wave of emotions that threatened to overtake me, though I held strong.

"This was my house." I said, not even checking to see if the others were at my side. With solemnness I reached behind me into my bag and pulled out the tiny box I made just for this. Finding a part of the house that wouldn't collapse when I touched it, I broke off a piece of wood ash. It crumbled easily, and painted my hand a dark grey. I scraped off flakes of ash into the box until it was filled, then sealed it tight and held it close to my heart, clutching it tightly in my hand, concentrating hard on the item for a few moments. _This is to remind me. So that I'll never forget my obligation to the dead here, I'll carry this with me until every Sun Pirate is dead._ I turned around to Natsu and Haru, who had politely waited. "I'm done here. Thanks, you two."

* * *

Unsure of where to proceed to next, I told them of a town down the river by a large waterfall. Now that I had a map, I knew exactly where it was. I could even almost guess just where I'd wandered during my time before joining the dojo. In a few days' walking time we reached the town, and were greeted with kindness, if slight apprehension. I had foolishly passed by the place when I was a little girl thinking they would never accept me; if I had tried, I might have found a new home, and lived the rest of my life there. But thinking about what-if futures would get me nowhere. We told the townsfolk there we were monks (they didn't quite comprehend "martial artists") on a spiritual journey, and asked if we may stay the night there. One family offered to let us use their barn, and we graciously accepted.

"So, a spiritual journey you say?" The man who owned the barn remarked. "I can see why you three would find your way here. The Falls of the Entak have that effect on people. Used to see folks come here all the time… course, that was 'fore Redcliff burned down." He said. Natsu and Haru each shot a glance my way. I secretly shook my head, signaling for them to keep the subject buried. "There's a cave stuck in behind the waterfall. Might be a nice place to do that meditatin' or whatever it's called. I don't know, I ain't a monk." He bid us goodbye and returned to his work.

After a sort of restful night on itchy bushels of hay, we made our way down the pass between the village and the bottom of the Falls. The river fell over into a small lake at a small-peninsula like portion of a cliff, so that from the bottom it looked like the side of a pillar of falling water, with a white mist rising out from the bottom.

"It's pretty." Natsu commented.

"He said there's a cave behind the waterfall…" said Haru, "but how are we supposed to get over there?"

I hung my bag on a nearby tree branch. "I dunno about you two, but I know how I'm gettin' across!" I said and leaped into the river. The water was warm, though after being in the hot sun for weeks, it felt cool and refreshing. It was surprisingly clean as well; breathing it in was easy and felt wonderful. I sort-of-paddled my way through the water, and in little time realized I was barely beating the current. _I really need to figure out how to swim properly. I bet I could be a lot faster than this._ Once I reached the Falls the water was pounding down atop me, so much that the noise was almost deafening. I scanned the cliff face trying to find something resembling a cave entrance, but couldn't see anything. It wasn't until I swam further down, towards the bottom, that I spotted a hole in the wall, about four or five feet wide. I peered inside to see it led to a tunnel further in, and that there was a small current sucking water in. It wasn't big, but it was large enough for me to fit through. The rock wall was covered with algae and moss, so much that I tried not to touch it if I could help it, but eventually it became too dark, and I had to to feel my way through. The tunnel quickly sloped upwards, and then leveled out. Being able to control my buoyancy without even thinking about it, without a frame of reference it became hard to tell which direction was which, though.

Eventually light returned to my eyes, and I came upon the tunnel's exit. The water poured out of a wall into a large pool in an underground cavern, and to my surprise, there was Haru, stark naked, about to get into the water.

"_Zaendaye_!" he exclaimed upon noticing me poking my head out of the hole in the wall, turning himself around. "_Ga yun de max pretathe!_" Haru only spoke in the language of his homeland when he was either incredibly angry or incredibly terrified. This time was probably both.

"That so?" I said sarcastically and slid out like an eel. By the time I had hopped out Haru had his back turned from me. _Fine by me. I don't wanna see none a' your junk._ "By the way", I said, through the loud echoing of the Falls outside, "this water comes directly from the lake, so if you thought it was clean spring water…"

Haru sighed. "So much for a bath." He grumbled.

I looked over my clothes. They were a total mess; dirt from the water had found its way between the fibers, and flakes of moss and plantlife clung to the fabric. "Yeah… guess I aint washin' these off either." I said, pinching a fold of my gi up to my nose and sniffing it. It smelled atrocious.

"There's another pool back that way. It looked cleaner." He said, pointing towards the tunnel where all the sunlight was coming in from. "You wasted your time swimming here by the way; there was a simple path that went behind the falls."

"Bah, whatever. You're just jealous. I know you." I scoffed. "Guess I'll go wash my clothes off over there, then." I said while unfastening my rope belt, letting my gi fly open and fall off my shoulders.

Haru gasped. "Aki, what are you thinkin'!?"

I paused for a moment, shot a quick glance down at my bare chest and back up at him. "Seriously, Haru…? How long we known each other and this still bothers you?"

"What? N-No, it's not that." He said, but his head was still turned away. "What I meant was Natsu's using that pool at the moment, so we can't-"

"Natsu!? Now there's a sight…!" I stood up and began to make my way towards the sunlight-filled tunnel when Haru in desperation grabbed a tentacle to keep me here.

"No, we can't go there now!"

"Sure we can!" I cheered.

"She's bathin'! That wouldn't be-"

I bent down and squinted my eyes at him. "Oh? I thought it 'didn't bother you'? Hmm?"

"Well, when you're as flat as a pancake like you…" He mumbled.

I was about to yell something back in defiance, but couldn't find the words, so I merely mumbled back ashamedly "You ain't gotta be an asshole about it…"

He let go of my tentacle. "Let's just wait, okay?"

"Oh come on, Haru! Quit being a kid. You know you'll regret it if you don't!" He griped for a bit, but ultimately lost the argument, and I forced him to tag along.

The two of us crept through the tunnel for no more than a minute, before we were discovered, just as we came upon the Falls themselves. "I know you're there." Said Natsu plainly.

"Aww…" I moaned. "That ain't no fun…"

"Can we come in?" Haru asked. _Since when are you Little Mister Politeness?_

"That's fine." She replied. As casually as we could muster ourselves to, we strolled out of the tunnel and into the small cavernous clearing. As soon as Haru and I noticed Natsu sitting down underneath the tranquil waters of a smaller waterfall inside the cave, we both froze. Unsurprising, as she hadn't a trace of clothing on her. It took everything in me not to break out into a nosebleed right then and there. Haru wasn't so successful. We didn't say anything else to her, or to one another, as we realized she was meditating and we had broken her trance. So we decided to join her in meditation underneath the gently falling water, and spend the rest of the day in that cave.


	48. Chapter 48

**Forty Eight – The End of an Art? The Faces of the Enemy**

"So, you three get what you came for?" The man who let us stay in his barn asked after we returned to the village the next day. We all nodded. Sadly, I was telling a lie. I never managed to join the other two in trance – something about an extremely busty young woman sitting naked next to me. Neither Natsu nor Haru spoke of just what they gained that day of course, but I could tell they had learned something. Our mission (more or less) a success, we then began our trek northward, returning home to the dojo.

We did not take as long travelling this time as we did going the opposite way. We were all homesick, and though none of us admitted it, each could tell the others were as well. In addition to taking less side trips, we found a merchant who was willing to give us a ride as far north as Wighburton, a major city about a hundred miles from the mountainous wilderness where the Mountain Fist dojo hid. All we had to do in return was be his bodyguard on the trip there. _Ironic. Eleven years ago, I'd be the one attackin' him._ Indeed we were waylaid by bandits a couple of times, the first time being just a couple of thugs that were easily scared off, and the second being an actual organized group that Natsu, Haru, and I had some fun beating up.

When we reached Wighburton we bid the good merchant farewell and stayed in the city for a few days. We used Natsu's cold she had just caught as an excuse, but really we just wanted to rest a little while after the long trek from the south.

"You know, Aki..." Haru whispered while we were lounging about in the tiny inn room the three of us just somehow managed to pay for. He was sitting down, leaning against the wall, and I was spread out on the floor, or at least as spread out as the small room would allow someone my height. Natsu was asleep. "This is gonna sound silly, but… what you said when we were at the Falls… you were right. I **am** jealous of you sometimes."

I rolled my eyes up towards an upside-down Haru. "Why in the world would you be jealous a' me?" I whispered back.

"Because!" He said quickly, then lowered his voice. "Because, well… you're strong, you're confident…"

I almost laughed. "I'm surprised, Haru. I never imagined you wanted to be an eight-foot tall giantess squid monster." He said something under his breath I couldn't make out. "I can't stand it." I added.

"What, are you saying you wish you were human?" He said.

I paused a moment before answering, taking in a deep, heavy sigh and exhaling it through my nostrils. "Every other day it seems like." I replied. "The other days I don't know what the hell I want." He didn't say anything else after that. We rested in silence.

Once the time we had paid for was up, we were promptly booted out of the inn and forced to continue on home. It's not like we didn't want to return. No, far from it. Natsu, always quick to recover, was already well again; we were just succumbing to laziness is all. So we grabbed what little possessions we had and continued northward.

* * *

There's a good reason the Mountain Fist dojo is considered by many to be a myth. The entire region around it is ill-suited to build any sort of large settlement on, and as a result the land is all wilderness, the nearest village a four-day hike through the roughest of mountain terrain. After a landslide that occurred when I was fourteen, the only remaining path to the dojo was a single narrow, dangerous ravine. When we finally came upon that ravine, we all gave a simultaneous sigh of relief, knowing we were close to home.

"That's strange, though." Natsu commented. "Where's Toby?" Tobiah, or Toby as we called him, was an old mountain man who lived alone in a small house by the entrance to the ravine. He was a little strange (as anyone who's lived alone in the woods for decades is bound to be) but he was always friendly with everyone at the dojo, especially since the landslide forced us by his little shack more often.

"He's probably just up at the dojo." Said Haru. Toby came up to visit from time to time. Master Khüch seemed to know him from times long past; they usually talked in private whenever he arrived, always unannounced.

"Probably." Agreed Natsu. _I don't know… Call me as nuts as Toby, but somethin' don't sit right here._ We kept on through the perilous ravine, watching our every step to make sure we didn't slip on the wet gravel pebbles. I had to watch my head as well, being so damned tall, that I didn't bump my forehead against the sharp rocks jutting out from the walls. When the narrow ravine was behind us, we only had a couple more hours of hiking before we would come home to the dojo, and to our family, greeting us with warm and open arms.

But what we came to discover was nothing we could had planned for. When the mountain slope became high enough that the foliage thinned out, and we would be able to make out the bell tower and the roofs of the living quarters, there awaited for us nothing. Absolutely nothing. Where once stood the Mountain Fist dojo was only a dead field, barren of anything but dust. All three of us couldn't believe our eyes. I could barely even form thoughts right. _This... this ain't real... it can't be..._

"Is this some kind of a joke...?" Haru gasped. Neither of us had any words to respond to him with. "Th-this is the wrong mountain, right?" He exclaimed to the lifeless field in front of him. "It must be! We took a wrong turn somewhere! I'll prove it!" In a fit of fury he ran off into the emptiness where a dojo should have stood.

I found my voice. "Haru!" I yelled out, trying to stop him, but to no avail. Whatever he was planning on doing, he was dead-set on making sure it was done.

I threw a glance Natsu's way. "Follow him!" She exclaimed. "I'll take a look around for any survivors." _Survivors? Then this really is…?_ I ran after Haru, who was making for the side of the mountain, where the entrance to the tunnel up to the hot spring ought to be. Sure enough it was, but there was no sign of a building, or even that one had ever stood there. I heard him cursing wildly as he dove into the mountain, and I, never a good sprinter, struggled to keep up.

"Haru, hold on!" I exclaimed as I reached the mouth of the tunnel. He was already dashing his way up, and I had to follow. I bumped my head and elbows carelessly running into the walls, gathering a number of bruises. As I reached the end of the tunnel, I shouted out to him. "Haru, just wait a second! Can't you tell this is-"

I was stopped mid-sentence by a sight that bore into my very heart with dread and made me let out an involuntary scream that filled the empty air. The hot spring still lay as it always did, and in it were three still, bloated corpses. Two of them were human: Seth and his lover, Lise. Though their disfigured deaths horrified me, it was the third body that truly sent fear through every fiber of my being.

It was a fishman. He was at least a foot taller than I, with once-blue skin greyed by the effects of death. His face was warped into the shape of some kind of fish's, with a long nose and beady little eyes, and in his mouth were two rows of sharp, triangle-shaped teeth. On his back was a dorsal fin, and between his fingers the same webbing that was between mine. He did not wear a shirt, and on his shoulder was burned that very same image I would never forget: the blood-red sun, encircled in flames. Just before the dirtied spring was Haru, shaking in horror. There was nowhere he could run away to now; those distorted, terrible faces told the truth – this place was all that was left of our home.

"Aki." Haru said gravely, his voice in its lowest tone. "This is a fishman, isn't it?" He turned his head to match his eyes with mine. They were fierce, as filled with fire.

Fearfully, I nodded my head. "This is…" I muttered. "from the same people that attacked my-" I immediately covered my mouth with my hands, realizing what I had said, what that knowledge must have meant to Haru then.

He turned back towards the grotesque corpse. "Then, they came because of…"

He didn't finish the sentence, though I knew what it he was going to say. I tried to protest, but couldn't find the right words. "No! I… I mean… They could be…"

"They came because of you, Aki!" He shouted.

"No!" I yelled again. The words shot through me, and forced me to look away. "That can't be!"

Haru clenched his teeth in anger and growled in his native tongue "_Pa dae max ke tha yun sinute troskun ni grote…?_"

Natsu came up through the tunnel then. "I heard a scream! What happene-" She stopped upon seeing the dead bodies, gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.

Haru glanced at her for a moment, then returned to me "But it's the truth! You proved it yourself!"

I was so close to the verge of tears. "Damn it, Haru! Don't say it! Please, please don't say it!"

Natsu tried to calm the situation. "What's going on? What's she talking about, Haru?"

He pointed to the fishman corpse. "The Sun Pirates were the ones who attacked Aki's hometown. And now, one shows up here, along with the destruction of the dojo! They came to both places in search of **you**, Aki!"

"No!" I screamed, scratching my throat with my voice.

"Haru!" Natsu exclaimed, in a reprimanding tone. "Don't you know when to calm down!?"

He stood up in a fiery passion. "My home was just razed to nothin' and you want me to be calm!?"

"That's exactly what you **need** to be! Rushing off in a vengeful fury'll get you nowhere!" Her command over the situation established, she lowered her voice. "You could take a lesson from Aki; she's waited eleven years for revenge! Now come on, you two. We don't have a moment to lose. We're leaving."

"Leavin'?" I repeated.

"To where?" Haru growled.

"The bodies are still stiff; it hasn't been three days since they were killed. That man's comrades are still in the region, and we can still track them down if we're smart, and we hurry."

Looking back, I still don't know how Natsu managed to conquer the gravity of the situation, to be so calm and resolute. She took charge so easily, it's like she wasn't affected at all (even though I know that wasn't the case). Haru suggested we give the only two bodies present a proper burial, but unfortunately we didn't have the time, and there just wasn't a simple way of managing that, what with where they were. We paid our respects to the dead, and I again made a silent vow for revenge against the Sun Pirates.

Natsu suggested we return to Wighburton, it being the major settlement of the region, so we did just that. On the way we stopped at a number of villages. Only the first few knew of the existence of the Mountain Fist dojo nearby – we decided to not to tell them that "existence" was no longer. When asked if a pack of fishmen had come through the region, they all said no. I believed them. Something like that showing up nearby would be hard to miss. Many were surprised to even discover there was a whole race of people like me. I didn't blame them; I still found it hard to believe myself sometimes. Thanking them, we continued on to Wighburton, troubled by the lack of clues as to the Sun Pirates' whereabouts.

It wasn't until we reached the metropolis that we came upon some news. Our first stop there was the local Marine headquarters. The people there were surprised when they saw us (namely me) walking through the front door of the office, asking for information about the Sun Pirates. That name. elicited an audience with the sergeant.

"Been some time since I heard anyone say that name." He said in a rough voice. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man with his long hair braided behind him. One his forehead was a nasty scar from a blade that kept his right eye only half as open as his left. Leaning against the wooden desk he sat at was an old katana, a long, thin, curved blade that had seen better years. "Friend a' yours with 'em?" He asked, looking my way.

"Hell no!" The three of us all shouted. "We're in pursuit of 'em!" Haru added.

"That so? Well, I got some bad news for you, kids. The Sun Pirates disbanded nine years ago." Our eyes widened. _Disbanded? How can that be?_ "One a' the first mates, Jinbei, joined the World Government as a Shichibukai."

"A what?" Said Haru.

The sergeant scratched his head. "Shichibukai… it's ah… they're a group of seven well-known pirates who work for the government. They're kinda like warlords, I reckon. Anyway, I dunno a thing about the other two leaders, the captain and the other first mate, 'cept for their names. The captain's Fisher Tiger, and the other first mate alongside Jinbei was named Arlong."

"D'you got pictures?" I asked.

"Pictures? Not sure…"

"Ain't they still got wanted posters?"

"They do. Kings' bounties, too. I'll talk to someone, see if I can find them filed away somewhere. Come back in a few hours."

We thanked him and left the office building. With little to do but wait, we found a plaza nearby and did just that, sitting on a wooden bench just big enough for the three of us. I attracted some attention in the crowded city, as always, but paid it little mind.

"Nine years…" Natsu sighed.

"You believe that?" Said Haru.

"Why shouldn't I?" She replied.

"Because we just saw one of them!"

"Haru, just because he had the mark doesn't mean the Sun Pirates are still together. You can't get rid of tattoos after all."

"Or they could be operatin' in secret." I said.

"Secret?"

"It's just a crazy hunch, but…" I began. "Redcliff was attacked eleven years ago, so they was definitely still together then. But if they disbanded, why would we find 'em again this far inland? They're sea pirates! This can't just be a coincidence…"

"You have a point…" Said Natsu. They both thought over this for a moment. _And just what do they want with __**me**__?_ Little else was said until the sun began to sink in the sky, and we decided we'd better head back to the Marine building.

"Was wonderin' if you three was comin' back." The private at the front desk remarked. "Here're the posters." He handed us three sheets of paper, all browned by age and wear. Natsu was handed Jinbei's, Haru Fisher's Tiger's, and I took Arlong's. We held them together in a circle and looked upon the posters. Jinbei's bounty was a staggering two-hundred and fifty million Berries. We couldn't even imagine so much money then. Arlong's was only twenty million Berries, but to our eyes who had never seen more than ten thousand in one place, that was just as hefty a sum. The captain's, Fisher Tiger's, was at two-hundred and thirty million. We memorized each of their faces. Jinbei was a behemoth of a man, with large tusks and a lonely beard on his chin. His face was very serious, one of a man who was very patient and very planning. Arlong on the other hand looked a devilish character. His eyes were piercing, glaring through the poster at me. His nose was elongated and barbed like a saw, and he sported a cruel grin of pointed teeth. Fisher Tiger's picture was frowning, and his eyebrows were furrowed over tiny angry eyes. He looked as though he was struggling greatly, though whether it was against others or with himself I could not know. I memorized every bit of their faces, imprinting their images into my mind.

"Well what do we do now?" Said Haru as we exited the building.

"Good question." Added Natsu.

"Let's go to the sea." I said, staring off into the distance.

"The sea!?" Natsu and Haru both exclaimed, surprised to hear such a thing.

"Well, shouldn't we? We're just gonna hit dead ends if we stay on the Red Line. They're pirates; we should follow 'em to the ocean."

"How do we get there, though?" Said Haru. That was a good question – I didn't really know, other than 'follow a river until it ends'.

"The edges of the Red Line rises miles above the surface of the water, so the only way down is to be lowered in an elevator." Natsu stated. "At least that's what Master Khüch told me."

We all sighed melancholy at his name. "Master…" I muttered. "Do you think he's still alive?"

"Of course he is!" Exclaimed Haru with a smile. "Master would never lose to a bunch of lowlife pirates."

I didn't quite believe him, but his smile was contagious. "Right. Right! Course!" I said. "So… to the sea, then?" They both nodded, and we set off, without a thing to stop us.


	49. Chapter 49

**Forty Nine – To Oceans of Blue! Selfish Ambitions Arise**

There are six major lifts from this half of the Red Line to the oceans below. The two main ones are near Mariejois, and they lead down to either side of the Grand Line. The Grand Line, we'd always heard, was the roughest sea there is, where the inexplicable can and often will happen. The other four lead to each of the calmer oceans, "the Blues", as they're called on account of their names: North Blue, South Blue, East Blue, and West Blue. Closest to us was the lift to East Blue, ironically to the west, so that is where we decided to head towards to begin our search for the Sun Pirates. It was an easy journey there from Wighburton, as the road between the two locations was the major thoroughfare for people to move goods to and from East Blue, North Blue, and the Red Line. It wasn't a long trek either. The Red Line's width was much, much less than its length, and we came upon the edges of the city that surrounded the lift, Westport, in only a few weeks' time walking.

"Is this the place?" Asked Haru, when the first buildings poked up from behind the forested hills. We asked the first person we found if this was Westport.

"Sure is!" Answered the spritely young woman. "Ya'll from North Blue?"

"Hmm? No, we're from inland." Said Natsu. "Do you see people often from North Blue?"

"Inland? You don't say? But I betcha **you're** from the sea, ain'tcha gal?"

"M-Me, Madam?" I stuttered.

"Course! Don't see fishfolk often, but occasionally one 'a you fellers comes through making the hike from one sea to the other!" Picking up the basket of fruit she dropped to talk with us, she said "Well, I gotta get, but ya'll be careful now, ya hear? And good luck on the Blue!" Carefully balancing the basket over her head, she went off her way in a hurry.

"Well, she was… nice." Haru remarked once the woman was gone.

"She was!" I exclaimed. "And to **me**! She didn't shy away or nothin'! Might all the women of the sea be so kind? Ah, quiet, mad heart!" Natsu and Haru both turned away in embarrassment. In excitement I dashed into the city, excited as a child. "Come on! Let's hurry! I wanna see the ocean!"

"It ain't going nowhere." Haru said, with a voice somewhere between a laugh and a sigh.

"Oh, let her have her fun." Natsu smiled. It was obvious they wanted to see it as well, as all three of us hurried through the town, until at last, we came to the edge of the Red Line.

It simply ended. It was like we reached the end of the world, and below us was a vast emptiness, filled with nothing but gray clouds that stretched on forever. For a moment, our minds couldn't handle it. It was simply too much, too large to fathom. Then came the huge feeling of vertigo, the mad spinning inside our heads that threatened to overwhelm us.

"I don't get it." Said Haru, slightly breathless. "Where's the water? Isn't the ocean supposed to be water?"

"It is, it's just… down there." Answered Natsu, also dizzy. "Way… way down there."

I groaned something incomprehensible. "This is lame! And terrifyin'! I want to swim in the ocean!" I complained. As if responding to my whining, my stomach let out a loud, easily audible growl.

Natsu laughed. I slunk back a bit with an embarrassed smile. "How about gettin' a bite to eat first?" She said.

"Can we afford anythin' to eat?" Said Haru.

Neither of us could answer right away. We all knew we were getting low on money, but just how low we weren't sure. Natsu, who we all agreed was the most responsible of the three, held on to the coin pouch. As she rummaged through it, her face slowly turned more and more to dread. "We can… but not for long." She cringed. "We'll have to find a way to make some money soon." _My apologies, Madam Natsu – I ain't sure how to help you there. The only way I ever made money is by stealin', and I ain't goin' back to banditry._

"Well, let's see what's around." Haru suggested.

We were already in the market part of town thankfully, so we didn't have to do any searching for where to get a bite. Looking around, we found all sorts of foods: fruits, meats, and vegetables from inland, as well seafood from down below. A lot of it we'd never seen before, and didn't know what was good and what wasn't. It wasn't until a certain scent found its way to my nose that I knew exactly what I wanted. It was a heavenly smell, an aroma like nothing I'd ever experienced before in my life, and it usurped complete control of my mind immediately, making me abandon Natsu and Haru in an instant to discover its origin. It grew stronger and stronger, until I found myself at a grill, where atop it were several lines of shrimp, sizzling up a storm. I drooled for a moment at the sight, then caught myself and wiped off my chin. "Sir!" I hailed to the short, plump man tending the grill, getting his attention. "What's that you're cookin'?

"Eh? A fishwoman?" He said, looking up at me. "You tellin' me you ain't never had shrimp before?"

_Shrimp? I heard a' shrimp. That what these are? This wondrous smell?_ "N-Never!" I stutter, my eyes fixated on the grill.

The man thinks for a moment, scratching his jaw. "Well, I tell you what, then." He jabbed a two-pronged fork into one of the shrimp and handed it to me. "I'll letcha sample one. See whatcha think. Eh?" I gladly accepted, taking the fork and sticking the tiny morsel in my mouth. I could have never been ready for something so delicious. To put the feeling in words would be doing the memory a disservice, so I won't even try.

"Damn!" Exclaimed the man. "Ain't never seen someone get so riled over just a shrimp! I guess you fixin' to have some more, then?"

"Hell yeah!" I cheer, gleefully. "Lemme just-" I reached at my waist only to remember **I** didn't have a single Berry on me – Natsu had all our money.

The man, no doubt a seasoned merchant, caught on quickly. "Best not tell me you ain't got no money." He sighed. "I ain't givin' out free meals; I was figurin' you'd buy some if you liked it." I tried to make a sad face to garner pity, but me trying to be cute is like a pirate trying to smell decent – it wasn't happening, and this man was too rigid and unmalleable anyway to fall for any pity routines. "Go on. Get. I ain't feedin' you." He said.

I slumped away with an air defeated, but I wasn't so ready to give in the towel. The primal creature in me wanted that shrimp badly, and it wasn't about to leave with an empty stomach. Once I was out from under the man's gaze, I turned a corner and quickly made my way around the block to the opposite side of his stall. _I have to divert his attention for just a moment…_ A couple stalls away from his was a fruit vendor, and on his cart, a pyramid of carefully placed apples presented the perfect target. Picking up a nearby rock, I prayed my aim be true, and chucked it up into the air at the stall. With dead aim, it fell directly onto the construction of fruit with a loud thud, sending apples spilling out in every direction. _Chance!_ As predicted, the shrimp-man stopped to see just what had happened. I wasted not a second. While his attention was stolen, so were several of his shrimp. I dashed up to the stall and snatched up as many of the little guys as I could before jetting off in a blaze of victory.

"You!" The man exclaimed. "Hold it right there!"

"Ryahahaha!" I couldn't help but laugh as I sped away, stuffing myself one by one with what shrimp I was able to grab.

"Thief! Thief!" He cried. "Someone stop that fishwoman!"

After the last shrimp was happily consumed, I looked back to see I wasn't alone. A pair of marines in white and blue uniforms, each holding onto a sheathed saber, were on my tail. _Shit! Not good!_ I tried to pick up the pace, but I've never been a good sprinter, and though they were still a good distance from me, they were gaining ground. Turning a corner, I came upon the edge of the land, overlooking nothingness. It was a dead end. _Ah… man, I hope I don't regret this!_ In a feat of incredible courage, I hopped over the metal railing, propped my feet onto the rock, and latched all my tentacles onto the cliff wall, then slowly shimmied myself down just enough so that I couldn't be seen from above.

It works. "Where'd she go?" One of them asks.

"That's a good question." Says another, slightly out of breath. "I'll keep watch by the lift, make sure she doesn't try to escape to the sea." _Seriously? All this just for some shrimp?_

"Don't bother." Says the first. "If she couldn't pay for a snack she doesn't have the money for a way down. Just keep watch, you two. You won't be able to miss a tall purple fishwoman walking around town."

"You think we'll be able to take her?" The third remarks. "Aren't fishfolk ten times as strong as humans?"

"Don't worry." The first says in an admonishing tone. "She's just a girl; she won't be a problem." '_Just a girl'!? Why you son of a…!_ I almost jumped up and kicked the guy's ass for that, but stopped myself. "Just keep an eye out, and be on the ready. And send the word out, as well."

"Yes, sir!" They split up, and I give a sigh of relief, though I'm nowhere near being in the clear yet. _Damn it, I can't walk around town freely no more, it looks like. And that'll be a problem if it costs money to ride the lift. How'll we get down?_ _Maybe I can find a way for us to sneak onto it._ The gigantic lift was only four or five blocks' distance to my right; I could almost see it from where I was.

However, when I tried to do just that, I made the fatal mistake of also looking down, down at the never-ending void below me. A chill ran up my spine that threatened to loose the firm grip my tentacles had on the side of the rock wall. It wasn't easy to support my weight, even with the barbs and suckers latched on tight. "Goddamn, that is a long drop! Just how far down is it!?" I tried my best for a moment to wipe the thought of falling from my mind. _I need to concentrate. Get to the lift. Just get to the lift, Aki._ Slowly, carefully testing every movement I made, I shimmied sideways along the cliff wall.

After almost an hour latched onto the side of the Red Line, I managed to make it to the lift, despite the wind's valiant efforts to throw me off. I climbed upwards just enough to allow myself a peek over the ground to see how we might manage to sneak onto the lift. Unfortunately, it didn't look like there was going to be any chance. There was a lengthy checkpoint system in place, and the lift itself was heavily guarded, both by soldiers and by barbed wire and high fences. _Damn it! That's no good! How are we going to…? _My mind raced, trying to come up with possible scenarios, but I simply couldn't think of anything. I screwed myself over, losing any chance of being able to work in the city, so buying a ticket was out of the question. _And it don't look like I'd be able to sneak on… unless…_ A thought came to me. _If I continued along this wall, it would take me directly to the lift… I could easily hitch a ride hidin' on it I think… Ah, but what about Natsu and Haru? They can't get on board this way!_ I pondered the situation further. _But do I have a choice? The marines are out lookin' for me, and if I get caught I might never get the chance to pursue the Sun Pirates! _I didn't want to come to this conclusion, but it was the only one I was able to. _Natsu… Haru… I'm really sorry about this, but I gotta go on ahead without you for now! I promise I'll come back as soon as I can!_

The lift is absolutely massive. Upon finally seeing it up close I couldn't believe the thing could actually move. Constructed in a large man-made rut in the Red Line, made of shining grey metal, it was easily large enough to sit five full-sized warships, though it was mostly empty now. There was even a structure built on top of it, a large building that looked like an inn or hotel, built near the edge overlooking the cloudy emptiness. _I guess this thing takes a while to get down… or up._ Continuing to be careful in my steps, I made my way to the giant construction. When I finally reached a spot close enough, I made the cross over (with much trepidation), and nearly kissed the ground I was so happy to have it under my feet again. Checking to make sure nobody saw me, I moved quickly to a nearby stack of large, brightly-colored cargo containers sat. Sitting down in between two of them, I stopped for a moment to catch my breath. _Will this work well enough as a hidin' spot?_ I wasn't sure, but I didn't have much of a choice.

That evening, after a strange sunset in which, without a horizon to hide behind, the sun just kept dropping and eventually faded away, I heard a loud shout, followed by a siren. Then, the ground began to shook, and the lift slowly began to descend. _Finally! I made it. Sorry, ya'll. I swear I'll make it up to you some day!_

When the cover of darkness finally arrived, I snuck out from my spot, and stealthily scouted around for somewhere else. A couple times since I had hid in between the two cargo containers, I heard voices coming far too close for comfort, and was sure I'd be spotted. Fortunately, they seemed confident enough in the security system that no one would be able to sneak aboard. I ran towards the inn, where the rest of the passengers were staying on the long ride down. I didn't expect to be able to just waltz in and sleep in a chair or something, but its position on the lift piqued my curiosity. _If there's any room between it and the edge of the lift, I may be in luck._

Sure enough, there was. A space of about three feet separated the walls of the inn with the metal bars that served as the lift's railing. Crawling on all fours so as not to pass by the windows of those still awake in their rooms, I found a spot far away from any prying eyes, and sat down, bringing all my limbs in close to me. The wind was cold, and made me shiver, but I was tired enough that I eventually fell asleep anyway.


	50. Chapter 50

**Fifty – On the Hunt! Another One of Me**

I was awoken by natural light, and when I opened my eyes, it was to a sight I'd never forget. It had long since been day, but the sun was behind the Red Line, so when I awoke it was just peering over the endless expanse of land above. And below that, stretching endlessly to the west, was the sea. I stood up, immediately awoken, and leaned against the railing. I simply couldn't believe what I was seeing. There it was, the ocean that covered more than ninety percent of the world. _Mother of__…_ i_t's more gorgeous than I ever imagined. I was born somewhere out there, wasn't I?_ The lift was almost approaching the bottom, and I couldn't wait for it to finally reach its destination. I almost wanted to leap off into the sea right then and there, though I knew that was foolish, not only because of the height, but because there was a small port at the bottom of the lift where I would crash and become a big blood splatter on the concrete. Unfortunately, I had made a mistake in failing to recognize that this hiding spot I adopted would be a hiding spot no longer once we landed, since as soon as the lift came to a stop at the bottom platform, directly in front of me was a plaza, and suddenly I was in plain view of everyone. Several had been watching the lift arrive, though most were merely going about their daily business. A few turned their heads my way once they noticed me, and I stammered to look natural. Deciding my best bet was to act like nothing was out of place, I made sure I've got my stuff, securing my bag tightly around my waist, and hopped over the railing onto the tiled pavement of the plaza. "Lovely weather, ain't it, Madam?" I said to a passerby. She didn't say anything in response, but merely continued on with what she was doing. I tried not to act conspicuous, but I was walking at a rather brisk pace, hoping to distance myself from the lift as quickly as possible.

However, I was not to have such luck. "That's her!" Came a shout from behind me. Startled, I turned around, and saw one of the marines who had been chasing me in Upper Westport. By his voice, it was the one who had been giving orders. _You ain't serious!_ Sparing not a moment, I broke out into a dash, on the run again.

I didn't know these streets, so I did the first thing I could think of: I dove into the water. As soon as the cold water began flowing through my gills, I looked all around me, and was instantly filled with an awe-inspired dread. The deepest, largest body of water I'd ever been in before was only a shallow lake, and that was nothing compared to this. I could only barely see the bottom, and on the opposite side of the Red Line was endless murky blue. The first thing I did upon seeing all of this was freak out of course. I scrambled to the wall of the port, latching myself on, taking a moment for me to finally let go and push myself out into the water. When I did, that dread transformed itself into excitement. _It's so… vast! There ain't no end to it!_ I swam around a bit, fluttering about in the water, completely forgetting that there were marines back on land possibly still looking for me.

After a good swim (if you could call my pathetic attempt at a breaststroke swimming), I remembered what I needed to do and cautiously poked my head above water at the far end of the port where all the boats were docked. I listened here and there for any news that might lead me in the right direction, but there was none. _I need to find somewhere where the Marines won't be after me, where I can make a little money to keep myself fed. _I hadn't eaten anything since those nine delicious shrimp, and my stomach was angry at me for the lack of sustenance. _I guess… my only option is to hitch a ride on the next departin' ship and see where it takes me._

It didn't take long for that "departing ship" to show up, and I was in luck when I discovered which it was. A small vessel with a fishing net hanging from one side, I would have no problem finding a bite to eat sticking with these guys. I swam with all my might over to the boat, making on just in time before it took off faster than I could follow. Awkwardly suctioned on to the bottom of the metal hull, I took a deep breath of the chilly water, trying to calm my nerves, but it wasn't helping too much. The bottom of the ocean became fainter and fainter as the boat drove off, away from the port, until not long, we passed the shelf, and the seafloor simply vanished. That was what truly sent fear into me, and I couldn't help but close my eyes to keep them averted from the terrifying sight of nothingness. Eventually, the stillness and the blackness, combined with the lack of sleep the previous night, sent me into a light nap.

* * *

Something began poking me. It was a light, repeated poke on my forehead. I slowly opened my eyes to see a blurry figure below me. After rubbing my eyes with a spare tentacle, the figure coalesced into the solid shape and form of a fishman floating in the water. I immediately frantically tried to back away, but there was still a large boat against my back. I looked back at the fishman. He was big and heavy-set, with pale, light-blue skin, and wore only a pair of swim trunks. He might almost look human if it weren't for the extremely large fins that were attached on either side of his body, starting from either side of his head and going down all the way to his wrists, as well as the pair of gills by the bottom of his rib cage. A big, dumb smile was stuck on his face as he pointed up towards the surface, then swam off, beckoning me to follow. I was extremely hesitant to proceed. This was the first fishman I had ever seen still alive, and all my experiences with the dead ones had been bad. But the boat was no longer moving, and looking around revealed nothing to me but a large net, cast down from the starboard side of the ship, floating gently in the water. We were in the middle of nowhere. So I didn't really have a choice but to follow, just as the fishman wanted.

When I surfaced, slowly poking my head out of the water just enough that my eyes were above the softly undulating waves, the fishman's smile grew. "Righteous! I was hoping you wouldn't swim off!" He said. His voice was loud, with just the slightest bit of rasp to it. "So like, what's up, babe? When'd you get on the bottom of my boat? Were you the fishwoman those dudes at Westport were talkin' about?" I didn't respond. I was too scared, finally meeting another one of my species, to say anything. "Huh? Can't you talk? What's the matter, babe?"

Fearfully, I poked my head out of the water entirely. "You a pirate?" was all I could manage to say.

"A pirate? No way!" He laughed. "I used to know some dudes who were when I was a kid, but I'm no pirate, babe! Why d'you ask that?" I ducked down underneath the water again, merely staring at him from just above the surface. I wasn't sure if he could tell I wasn't going to say anything else just then, as he wasn't exactly the brightest of candles, but he said "Well, whatever, babe. Come on up to the boat, I'll getcha something to eat. I can totally hear your stomach growling from here!"

"Could you quit callin' me that?" I said, just before he turned around to swim back up to the boat.

"Call you what, babe?"

"That. 'Babe'."

"Oh what, does it like… bother you or something? Well sure then, bro, that's fine." _That ain't exactly better…_

I followed him up to his fishing vessel. There was a ladder attached to the port side which we used to climb up out of the water. "Us manta ray-types are supposed to be real graceful swimmers and stuff, but I kinda put on the pounds these last few years." He said, patting his rotund belly. "I know, it's pretty pathetic, you don't need to tell me, bro. Oh hey – watch that step. It's wobbly." He paused for a moment after I had gotten up on the deck of the boat. "You don't… talk much, do you, bro?"

I gave a quiet, disgruntled noise. "I ain't a quiet person, if that's what you're sayin'. I just… I never met another fishperson before." I explained.

His jaw dropped. "Whoa, what!? Never!? How's that… how's that even like… possible? Where're you from, bro?"

"The mountains of the Red Line."

"Whaaaaat!?" He stretched out the word in an overdramatic fashion. "That's nuts, bro! So, you must not know your parents, huh?"

"My parents?" I stammered. "I'm an orphan. I don't wanna talk about my parents."

"Oh don't worry – I totally know that feel, bro. I'm in the same boat as you. Err- I don't mean this boat here;" he spread his arms out, "I mean I'm an orphan too."

My eyes lit up. "Really?" I asked.

He nodded. "They found me in the Fishman District over on Fishman Island. I guess you probably haven't been there, huh bro?"

I shook my head from side to side. "You said 'they'. Your foster parents?"

"Nah, I never really had a mom and dad. There were lots of kids like me, all lost in the streets. We looked out for each other, though." _That sounds… nice. Maybe there __**are**__ some nice fishmen out there? _"Having some parents would've been cool I guess, though. To be honest bro, I kinda jelly." I smiled. It was genuine, but awkward. "Enough about that. I never even got your name, did I?"

"It's Aki." I said. "Aki Sinagra."

"Aki. Got it, bro! My name's Jeff! Jeff Jones!" He pointed to his chest with his thumb. "So, I was going for a swim to try and find some schools of fish nearby when I found you instead. I think I'm gonna go back in and see if I can find anything. Want to join, bro?"

I cast my gaze to the side, and pulled my knees in close to my chest. He hit a shameful spot of mine, and it showed. "I… ain't really that good a swimmer." I admitted.

"Not a good swimmer? That's crazy talk, bro! All fishdudes and dudettes are badass swimmers, you- ohhhh! You said you were from the mountains, right bro? I bet you were taught by a human how to swim, weren'tcha?"

"Uh… yeah…" I stammered. "Is that a bad thing?"

He stood up and waved his hands in front of him disgustedly. "Bro, humans swim like babies, so it's no surprise you don't know how to really stretch your fins out there. For example," he reached out a hand and lifted up one of my front tentacles, "D'you use these to swim?"

"Well, no… should I be?"

"Of course! It's your natural strength, bro! You gotta use what you were given! Didn't anyone ever tell you that?"

_I suppose there he's right._ Master said something similar during a training lecture one time. "Everyone finds strength in different places. Take Aki, for example. Her people, the fishfolk, come from the sea, so of course she will find a great source of energy from the waters of the world, should she ever greet the ocean. And she should, as it's never the wisest of ideas to reject your natural strengths, of course."

He continued. "Now, I'm a manta ray-type and you're a squid-type, so we swim totally different, but I knew a guy once upon a time who was an octopus-type, so I bet it's probably the same dealie, bro."

Jeff entirely forgot about catching fish. He spent the rest of the day swimming. He told me to try expanding my tentacles all at once in a circle, and then push them towards my body to propel me forwards. "It totally worked for this octopus-bro." He said. "Wish I could remember his name, though." When I first tried it, I wasn't at all ready for the pure amount of power that erupted forth. I darted straight through the water like a spear, and as I was facing upwards, I flew straight out of the ocean and up into the air, which of course made me flail my limbs about in panic before I came violently splashing back down. "There you go, bro! That's how you do it!" Jeff cheered from above the light waves. Slightly embarrassed, but mentally psyched, I aimed myself horizontally and tried it again, and was rewarded with a tremendous burst of speed. Again and again I propelled myself forward, armed with the adrenaline as my guide. It was only when I realized I left Jeff far behind me, little more than a light speck in the distance, that I realized I'd better head back, and quickly.

It wasn't long before I learned I could use the small fins on the side of my head to roll, and swing an arm out to turn in that direction. I also discovered, alternating between half of my tentacles let me stay at a constant, brisk speed. I couldn't believe how much fun I was having. Even more so, I couldn't believe I'd missed out on such fun all my life.

"Dang bro, you ended up a hell of a lot faster than me." Jeff remarked when I finally swam back to the boat and began to ascend the ladder. "I got some fish grillin' up here, you want some?"

"What kind?" _It didn't matter; I just felt like asking._

"Salmon. Don't tell me you've never had salmon."

"Of course I had salmon." I quipped back. "We got those inland as well, you know." I ascended the ladder, but slipped on and fell back into the water when one of the rungs gave way under my weight.

"Ah, I told you about that step! I warned you, bro!" Ignoring his jibes, I got back on deck, dried myself off, and enjoying a nice grilled salmon with this newfound… 'bro'.

"So if you're from Fishman Island, why're you way out here?" I asked him, once we were done eating.

"I believe I asked you the same thing earlier today, bro." He grinned. "After all, this is **my** boat you hitched a ride on. Lucky you picked the fishdude's, huh?"

I rolled my eyes. "Fair enough." _I guess I __**do**__ owe him an answer._ "I'm lookin' for some folks. Some fishmen, actually." I reached behind me into my bag and fished out the wanted poster of Arlong. "You ever seen this fella?" I said, handing him the poster.

If he had been drinking something at the time, he almost certainly would have done a spit-take. "Arlong!?" He exclaimed. "No way! Man, talk about taking me back, bro! You're looking for Big A?"

"Big… A?"

"Yeah, that's what we used to call him back in the Fishman District when we were kids. Aww man, I wonder what the rest of the gang's up to these days. Hody, Zeo, Dosun…"

_This might be bad. He's got some attachment to Arlong. If I tell him why I'm lookin' for him, he might turn on me._ "So how'd you know Arlong? Was he a…?"

"A friend? Nah, he was more like a guardian. Well, nah – not even that. He was like the kinda cool older dude who'll getcha some cigarettes even when you're too young. Uh- not that I smoke or anything, bro…" _Trust me, that's the least a my concerns right now._ "He got a little crazy at times, though. He hated humans something bad, bro. I mean, I don't **really** like 'em all **that** much, but some are decent people, and they buy up my fish so what do I care? So I don't hate them. 'Cause they'll just hate me back, you know? The other kids though," his goofy smile that I thought was impenetrable faded just the slightest bit, "they totally went along with everything he said. Kind of a shame. Me and Hody used to be sweet bros, but we drifted apart after a while. He couldn't take that I'd give the humans a chance. So, you know, what can you do, right bro?" He threw his fish bones off into the ocean. I did the same. "You said you're looking for him, right?"

I froze for a moment. I took that moment to think up a good response. "I need to… ask him somethin'." was what I came up with.

"Well bro," Jeff put his hands on his knees and pushed himself up to his feet, "you're in some kinda luck, 'cause as it just so happens, a few years ago Arlong set up camp right here in East Blue."

I stood up as well. "Serious!?"

"That's what they say. I haven't been there myself, but the word is he took over a whole town and built a stronghold right up next to it."

_What're the odds!? If I can take him out, then I oughta be able to do the same to the others as well!_ At that moment, I felt something I had never known before: I felt that achieving my duty of vengeance just might be possible. An end, however faint it may have been, existed. "Can you take me there?" I asked gleefully.

"I could," began Jeff, "but the place where Big A's set up base is in the Konomi Islands, which is at least a week's sail from here, and that's only if the wind's with us. So I'm afraid it wouldn't be a free ride, bro."

My hope nearly shattered. "I… I uh…" My words only came out in stutters. "That is… I ain't actually- erm… got no Berries on me." I saw his expression lower at that. "I was travellin' with some others before we got to Westport, and… well… one of 'em had all our money."

Though he didn't look happy to hear that, he didn't respond with a "Tough luck, babe" just yet. His arms crossed, his eyes squinted shut, he was mulling thoughts around in his brain. "Bro. Aki." He said.

"Y-Yeah?"

"D'you ever plan on going to Fishman Island?" He asked.

"I hadn't thought of it, but I reckon I will eventually." I answered.

He thought for a moment again. "In that case, I won't charge you any money for the ride there, but in return…" He paused. "My old bro I told you about, Hody? Hody Jones? I owe him a favor from way back when, so now I'm passing it on to you. When you go there, you owe him one."

I let him know that was a fair deal. To be honest, it was a much better deal on my part than his. He said himself he hasn't seen this 'Hody Jones' character in a long time – he may have long since moved away from Fishman Island, or hell – he could even be dead. Hopefully Hody wasn't a former member of the Sun Pirates, or I'd have to dishonor the agreement.

We set sail the next morning heading eastward, where I would surely find one of the masterminds behind the destruction of Redcliff and enact my long-awaited justice.


	51. Chapter 51

**Fifty One – To Cocoyashi Village! Where the Mad Chase Began**

The trip took longer than planned – sixteen days. The winds weren't exactly in our favor and we came upon a mild storm (though to my eyes which had never before beheld a storm at sea, it was a violent, terrible maelstrom). Jeff had fallen off the boat during the storm and I was almost sure that was the end of him, but he had little trouble getting back on board. He laughed when I looked so startled. "Aww, were you worried about me, bro?" He jeered later.

I punched him in the arm and told him, slightly embarrassed, " 'Course not. I was worried about my ride."

We also stopped here and there a couple times to catch fish, as well as sell them in nearby ports. As I had helped with the work, I was entitled to a cut of the profits, Jeff said. I was more than appreciative of this; having not a Berry to my name was a problem.

Near the end of the trip we stopped at a ship restaurant, the name of which I can't recall, for a quick bite to eat. They were in the middle of repair work but were still serving customers and were more than glad to have us, as business had been extremely rough lately. Jeff had a hell of an appetite, eating ate several plates' worth. I on the other hand didn't have the money to be spending that wildly on anything, so I didn't order much.

"That all you're gonna eat, bro?" Jeff said with a mouthful of broccoli. All the other patrons of the restaurant had their eyes turned in the direction of the fishman.

"A martial artist's got to stay in shape." I replied.

"You're a martial artist? No way, bro! You gotta show me some moves sometime!" I did just that the last couple days on the voyage. I showed him the basics of the basics – mainly proper exercise routines, but I did briefly mention to him how to correctly throw a punch to get more power out of it.

When we finally arrived amidst the Konomi Islands the moon was high in the sky, shining down over the silver reflections in the ocean. It was not long after, on the coast of one of the islands far in the distance, that a settlement could be made out. As we came closer we saw it to be a quaint, little port village. There was only one street with a row of two-story buildings on either side, and at the end was a small dock overlooking the bay. The vegetation was all tropical, palm trees and small bushes and what-not.

We didn't spy any sign fortress of Arlong's, but Jeff was sure this was the right place. "Would you hate me if I let you off back here instead of at the village?" He said. We were a good half-mile or so away from the shore.

"That's fine." I told him. _That's actually better than fine – this way they won't be ready for me._

"Sorry bro, it's just… I left the gang on not the best of terms, you know?" I didn't really care about his past, but still I never told him exactly why I was after Arlong.

"I understand." I replied. "Thanks again for the ride, I owe you."

He shook his hand in front of him. "No, remember? You owe my bro Hody now. It's outta my hands." _Right. Hody. Whatever._

I nodded, then secured all my things tightly to my belt and dove into the water. I could hear Jeff saying his last goodbyes as I swam off towards the island, but I was already too preoccupied in thought to pay him attention anymore. _This is it, Aki… There's no goin' back now. This is the moment you trained all your life for! _My mind was set. When I came unto the village dock, I looked around from just below the surface of the water to scout around. There was nobody on the dock, just a small fishing boat harbored, but I did see people further in town. Not many though, as it was the dead of night; only three or four sitting around. _Things look peaceful, but Jeff said Arlong took this whole village over years ago. Which begs the question: do the people here work with him or against him? I'd reckon a bunch a' humans under the rule of a fishman leader, especially one who's got a track record a' genocide, would have some anger riled up inside 'em. If that's the case, then maybe I can turn 'em against him. But if it ain't, and they're in a position they like, I might need to get rough with 'em. Either way, I head in strong and assertive._ _But first, I oughta get some sleep. Too late to do anythin' now and I'm too tuckered out. _I sunk down a few yards to the bottom of the coastal floor and found a sandy spot free of any underwater creepy crawlies where I could get a good night's rest before the inevitable confrontation tomorrow.

* * *

The next morning came later than usual; it was not long until noon when I was aroused out of sleep_. _I wasted no time once I was awake. After readying myself one last time I dove down a bit, then darted back upwards and broke through the surface with a loud burst of water, landing on the dirt road just past the docks.

I instantly garnered the attention of all the townsfolk who were outside in the area. Doing a quick scan to find the nearest person, I found an unimpressive young man my age who had been carrying a barrel in the direction of the dock. Without any delay, I stormed up to him. "Where's Arlong?" I demanded to know, looking down upon him. A powerful wind blew across us, tossing his shaggy hair about.

His expression turned to fear, as did some of those nearby. He tried to make a response, but had lost the ability to form any words. "Tch." I scoffed, and turned to the others. "I'll repeat myself. **Where** is Arlong?"

" 'Where's Arlong'?" A gritty voice repeated. I turned in its direction to see an aged human in a brown uniform and cap approaching. All along his face, arms, and legs were long, thin scars. _This fella's a fighter. Watch yourself, Aki._ "You got some guts asking that."

"Is that so? You sayin' you're gonna stand against me then, old man?" I said with an intimidating sneer, moving myself into position for a fight.

The man did the same, brandishing a saber. "I failed to defend this village once from your kind. Never again!"

_Wait, huh? What's he on about?_ I had no time to think it over as he was quickly on the attack, moving at me with his saber overhead, ready to bring it down upon me. I dodged to the side, leaving the blade clean. "W-Wait, wait!" I stammered. "Hold on just a minute!"

"I will not!" Came his response, followed by another attack.

"Just wait!" I repeated, taking a couple steps away from him. The townsfolk were cheering the man on. "What do you mean 'my kind'!? Are you talkin' about Arlong?"

"Of course! You fishfolk think you can waltz right in here and do whatever you please? Well I won't stand for it!" He came at me with his blade at his side, readying a horizontal slice, but I moved in close and grabbed his arm tight, immobilizing it.

"Just wait a second! If you're so against Arlong, why are you fightin' me?" I asked.

Thinking back, it really was a stupid question. "Are you not an ally of his?" He growled.

The words instilled a fierce rage in me. "Hell no I ain't!" I yelled to his face. "I came here to murder the bastard, not join him!"

A few of the townsfolk gasped. I felt the muscles in the man's arm loosen just a bit. "Why in the world…? Why would a fishwoman want to…?" He murmured.

"Does that matter!? Look, if you got so much anger in you against the man, then join forces with me and we can take him down together!" I exclaimed in a burst of passion.

I loosened my grip on the man. He slipped out of my hand and took a step back. With a quick, single laugh, he sheathed his saber and told me "You're too late."

"Too late?" I repeated.

"Arlong's already long gone." He explained.

I gasped. "What!? What d'you mean? Did he pack up and leave? Did he flee?"

The man reached under his hat and scratched his scalp. "No, nothing like that. I mean someone already beat you to the punch and defeated him." _They what!? Who!? When!?_ "It's a long story. Follow me inside and I'll tell you."

Though hesitant to follow the man who had just swung a sword at me, I walked behind him into a café of sorts. Naturally, I stole the attention of the few who were already inside. "And just who the hell are you?" A woman exclaimed. Though her expression was furious, I still found myself in a swoon over her lovely visage. She had a gorgeous tan complexion, with big eyes and lush lips that shined in the electric light. Her hair, trimmed just to her chin, was a lilac hue near the color of my skin, which she kept pulled back with a dark red bandana.

"Madam!" I exclaimed, entirely forgetting who I was following here. "I am no one, madam! A blank slate, ready and willin' to be whatever your maiden heart desires!" Her anger turned to repulsion. "Madam…?" I said. "Do I offend? It ain't the accent, is it?"

She didn't reply; instead the scarred man did. "I think you'd offend just about anyone here after what we've been through." I turned to him. He had sat down in a plain wooden chair, leaning his folded hands on the hilt of his saber's sheath "Have a seat. I'll tell you everything that's happened."

He relayed the events that had transpired there the past decade at this Cocoyashi Village. It was a peaceful place until eight years ago, when Arlong and his newly-formed crew came in and single-handedly took ownership of the island. In preparation for a vast conquest of East Blue he set up a base of operations here and imposed a tax on the people just for living. A nearby town outright refused to pay back when he first arrived, and Arlong had the entire place leveled. It was a ridiculous amount as well: a hundred thousand Berries for an adult, and fifty thousand for children. The mother of Nojiko, the woman with the lilac hair, was murdered just because she couldn't pay. In addition, Namizou, who I came to learn was Nojiko's sister (brother?) was forced to act as his navigator, under a pipedream of a deal that if a total of a hundred-million Berries were raised, he would set the town free. Arlong was every bit as cruel as I'd imagined him to be, and it instilled a rage in me just hearing the things he'd done after he left the Sun Pirates. _But if what they say is true, and he's been here for the past eight years, then it ain't him who attacked the dojo. That complicates things…_

It wasn't until just a few days ago, when Namizou returned from another one of his regular excursions to go thieve treasure away from pirates that things changed. The pirates he infiltrated this time were the newly-created Straw Hat pirates, and their captain, the young Monkey D. Luffy, wasn't willing to part with his navigator, even if he himself wished to. He fought dearly for him, even almost losing his life in the process, but in the end it was Monkey who ended Arlong and saved this village from his tyranny.

"And this all happened just a few days ago?" I asked, once his story was over.

The man, whose name was Genzo, mayor and sheriff of Cocoyashi Village, nodded as he took a sip from a freshly brewed cup of green tea. "So much has happened it's seemed over a month, but yes – if you had arrived here a week ago you would have found the man you're after." _Damn it, Jeff! We just had to take all them stops, didn't we?_

Nojiko joined in the conversation. "Just why are you after him anyway, Miss… uh…"

"Aki, Madam! Aki Sinagra!" I said, snatching her hand in mine to plant a kiss on. She snatched it back before I could, and we both pretended that didn't just happen. "Well, you see… ah, how to put it briefly… Ya'll ain't the only ones he's done a great deal of harm to."

"Hm? But Arlong was a supremacist. He viewed fishfolk as the superior species; why would he do anything to you?" Nojiko argued.

"It wasn't just to me, Madam. My entire hometown suffered because a' what he and the Sun Pirates did. Just like that place you mentioned, Mr. Genzo – Gosa, was it? The entire city, razed to the ground. Not a soul left to remember it but me. So that," I stood up, "is why it bugs me that someone else got to him first."

"Well then…" began Mr. Genzo, "what are you going to do? Follow after Luffy?"

_Why d'they all call him by his last name? Fella must be an important person. _I nodded to the old man. "I don't think my conscience'll be satisfied if I don't. Did he mention where he was headed next?"

"Loguetown." Nojiko answered.

"That nearby?"

The patrons of the café exchanged glances. "You've never heard of Loguetown?" Said a man who'd been listening to us talk.

"I… ain't from around here. It's a big city, then?"

"It's where the Pirate King was born," said Mr. Genzo, "and where he died."

"The Pirate… King?" I replied.

"Oh come now!" Nojiko exclaimed. "You must've heard of the Pirate King, haven't you? Gold Roger?"

The name was new to me. In a stubborn fit of shame I turned my head, puffed up my cheeks, and kept my mouth shut. That was the end of the conversation; I ordered a tea and drank it in peace. Or I **was **drinking it in peace until my presence became known throughout the village, and a number of people, mostly children, came to the café to see me. Despite being under the rule of a despotic fishman for eight years, they had never once seen a fishwoman, and also had trouble believing someone of my species wasn't here to enslave them or cause mayhem or what-not. "Guess I'm an oddball, then." I told one kid.

"Nothing wrong with that." Mr. Genzo replied, reentering the café. In his hand he held a large, dusty blue hat. It had a large brim and the top was pointed. "Here, try this on." He said, tossing it my way. I caught it with a tentacle, inspected it for a second, then plopped it atop my head. Surprisingly, it was a snug fit. "You may not have ill intentions, kid, but people won't know that at first glance. If I were you, I'd hide my heritage." I had to agree with him. I'd thought about it in the past, but up until now, I had no idea just how to do it; the shape of my head was a dead giveaway. However, looking in the mirror, I was astonished. The natural pointiness of the hat made me look almost human. "Not enough, though. You'll need to cover up your face."

"Ooh! Ooh! I know!" One of the kids perked up. "Wait right here!" He made a mad sprint out of the café, coming back not more than a minute later with something in his hand. He held it out to me, a thing I'd never seen before.

"What's this?" I asked, looking the strange thing over.

"They're goggles! You put 'em over your head like this!" Fearlessly he approached me from behind and removed the hat still atop my head, then strapped the goggles over my eyes and around the back of my head. When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to find I could still see just fine through them.

"That's cool!" I exclaimed. The kid had a proud smile on his face and I found myself beaming as well. I stuck the hat back atop my head. "Think this'll do?" I asked Mr. Genzo.

It was Nojiko who answered. "Not quite. Here, I have an idea." She reached up to her head and pulled off the dark red bandana, letting her bangs loose to fall by her face. "Tie this around the rest of your face."

I gasped. Outside of Natsu, I don't think a beautiful woman had ever given me anything other than the cold shoulder. With trembling hands I accepted the gift. Before tying it around my face I took a moment of guilty pleasure to breathe in the scent of the fabric. _It smells like… like tangerines… Oh, I think I'm in love! _I stood, gave a bow, and said "Madam, I shall keep this most gracious gift on me at all times!"She rolled her eyes.

"What do you say? You think that's enough?" Said Mr. Genzo.

"I don't know… ya'll seem to be havin' fun using me for dress-up." I joked.

The old man laughed. "It's the least I can do to apologize for greeting you with a blade."

"Well I certainly appreciate it all." I replied courteously. "But I'm afraid I really do need to go and catch up with this Monkey fella." The kids all made a simultaneous 'Aww…'

"You do what you have to do." Mr. Genzo said. "But I wonder; how do you plan on getting to Loguetown?"

I stammered for a moment. I thought to say something, but didn't have an answer.

"Do you even know how to get there?" He continued.

Nojiko gently smacked him in the back of the head. "You know ol' Charlie's setting sail for Loguetown today."

"Gahaha!" Mr. Genzo chuckled. "I know, I know! I just wanted to mess with her for a bit first!"

I sighed at the old man. "Am I to assume I should talk with whoever owns that fishin' boat at the dock?"

They answered with a nod. "You'd better hurry though." Said Nojiko. "That'd be rotten luck if he's already left."

With a bow, I thanked her again. "A thousand thanks, Madam! And everyone else too!"

As I walked away from the café Nojiko exited as well, and from the doorway shouted out to me "Oh, and if you ever see my sister, Nami, tell her I said hi! Orange hair, tattoo on her shoulder, can't miss her!"

A couple of the kids joined her. "Say hi for me, too!"

I assured them all I would and waved good-bye. When I approached the dock, a frail, old man was at the boat, untying the ropes. I'd never seen him in the village, and I doubt he'd seen me. "Something I can help you with there, sir?" He said.

_'Sir'? Does he think…? …Oh goodness, this might be interestin'._ "Folks here tell me you're headed to Loguetown." I said.

"That's right." He replied. "What, you looking for a ride?"

"Sure am."

"Well, as long as you've got the Berries, I'll take you to Loguetown."

I reached into my newly acquired leather bag at my waist, when I realized something horrible. I left all my money on Jeff's boat the previous night, counting it up before we arrived and my attention was stolen away! Instead of instantly freaking out I lied and told him I had the means to pay him. _I'll figure this little problem out later._

"Hop aboard then, sir."

I was just about to when a loud gust of wind rushed in from behind me and sent a shiver running through me. As luck would have it, thrown on the dock was a large olive-brown cloth. I picked it up to find it was the perfect size for a cloak. In one fluid motion, I threw the cloth over my shoulders, letting it drape down my back, then fastened it in place at my chest. I was about to move my tentacles out from underneath it when I remembered: _I'm tryin' to hide that I'm fishfolk._ So instead I reached back with my hands and pulled them out. _Annoyin', but necess'ry._

When I was on the boat and the old man finally was done readying to set sail, we left Cocoyashi Village. I sat in a chair on the small deck, calming my mind, relaxing myself to get rid of the anxious tension that had been in me since yesterday. _This sure has been a queer turn of events. Here I finally find the lair of one a' my enemies, and someone just beat me to the punch! Arlong musta been a strong customer; I wonder just what kind of human could defeat him. Did he have a Devil's Fruit? Maybe he's just really strong. Well, whatever the case, I'm sure he must be an amazin' person, this Monkey D. Luffy! And he'd best be ready, because I'm comin' for him!_

**-End of Volume Four-**


	52. Chapter 52

**Volume Five – Trials of Will**

**Fifty Two – A Mysterious Visitor? Returning to the Kingdom of Sand**

The first sensation is heat. Intense, painful heat. My skin is scorched and dry. It hurts to move, but still I try, discovering the second sensation: sand. Tiny grains of rough sand scratch all around me, my skin, my mouth, my gills where it burns horribly, even in my eyes, though they are squeezed shut. I cough out the nasty stuff that's dried the inside of my mouth into a wasteland. _Water… I need water. _I sit myself up and sand cascades off my body. _I musta been half-buried in it. But just where is 'it'?_ Opening my eyes, they are filled with near-blinding light, coupled with a terrible, itching, burning pain that instantly forces them closed again. _Where in the world am I!?_ I had been soaring over the ocean, propelled by Bartholomew's attack, but I do not remember ever landing. I remember falling asleep; my unexpected three-day journey must have ended then. _But just where did it take me? I can't even open my eyes to see!_

"Hello!?" I yell into the air, not caring for the consequences. My voice has become weak, three days without water coupled with the sandy dryness making it hoarse and raspy. "Anyone there!?" I listen carefully for an answer, past the quiet wind into the realm beyond it. I think I can just barely make something out, but I can't be sure if it's real or just an illusion, sounds in my head. There is nothing else to go on though, so trudgingly, blindly I make for that direction, slogging my feet through the thick sand, praying I find something, anything other than a sandy grave. A few minutes later I try shouting again, but nothing returns to my ears. I try opening my eyes for just a moment, but the pain is too much. I continue on, but my legs are barely even working anymore, until I'm dragging my feet through the sand, getting nowhere. A dizziness then quickly overtakes me, and it isn't long before I simply collapse back into the sand, into the heat, into the fire, into the darkness.

* * *

When I come to, I am not even sure if I'm still among the living. I slink in and out of consciousness, from dream to reality and back again until I can't tell which is which, where I am, if I even **am** anymore. It isn't until I try to open my eyes, out of some strange subconscious impulse lingering from a dream, and am rewarded with sharp pain amidst hazy blurs of orange that I am jolted awake. I close them again and try to rub them with a pair of tentacles, but my limbs are weak, and even lifting one up to my face is a strenuous effort. It is then that the rest of my body remembers its sorrows as well, and my entire frame groans in aches and pains. Still I try and stretch my arms and legs, at least move them around a bit, hoping perhaps that will ease things up if I rid them of their stiffness, but no luck. The pain remains exactly the same.

Then, the sound of a few words are spoken behind a wall, and after that a wooden door creaking open, and a potent warmth rushes in to wherever I am to heat the air. "Ah! Miss!" An tired, raspy voice exclaims. "Miss, you shouldn't be moving around! You've not recovered enough!" I feel a calloused hand gently touch my shoulder and surprisingly, it calms me; I don't recoil as usual. My muscles relax, and he must've felt it. "There we go. I'm glad to see you're awake now, but you really shouldn't stress yourself – you're lucky to even be alive!"

"Where-" I try to speak, but my voice is almost gone.

The man shushes me. "Don't try to talk." I hear the sloshing about of a liquid. "Here, drink." The rim of a cup touches my bottom lip and warm water pours into my mouth, bringing with it a tremendous relief.

"Thank you… whoever you are." I'm able to say after the liquid has passed through my throat. My voice is still incredibly hoarse, but it doesn't hurt quite as much to speak. "Where am I?"

"You're in Yuba." The old voice responds. I hear him set down the cup. "My son, Kohza, found you collapsed in the desert a half mile from the town's edge and brought you back here. He'll probably be glad to hear you're awake."

"Is that… so?" I say. "I'm thankful." I pause for a moment. "So I'm in a desert?"

The old man waits a moment before responding. I realize it was a rather foolish thing to ask, and that he's probably wondering how in the world I could not know that. "Well, of course you are!" He finally says.

"R-Right, 'course," I stammer. "I reckon you don't see much of my kind here, then. To be truthful, I'm s'prised you helped at all. Most folk just turn a blind eye. Oh! That reminds me, is there any of that water left?" I ask. My throat is scratched up again from all the talking, but that's not what I want it for.

"Just a bit." The old man answers. "Yuba is situated around an oasis, but water is still scarce here. Do you need another drink?"

"No, thank you. It's my eyes. I need to wash 'em out; they're filled with sand."

"Ah, I see. Yes, I can imagine that would be a problem for someone like you in a place like this." I hear something move along the floor. "The bowl is right here. Can you feel it?" I carefully move my hands in front of me, and in a gesture of kindness, he holds my wrist and guides it towards the bowl. I feel in the water with a finger, than happily dip my face in it and open up my eyes. The feeling is wondrous. I wipe my eyes clean, blink several times, and then bring my head back. Finally able to see again, I take a quick look around. I am in a small room with beige sandstone walls, sitting on a flimsy wooden bed. In front of me sits a small, very skinny old man with a bushy moustache, and beyond him an open door leading into a dusty brown hallway.

Not even ten seconds after I take my head out of the bowl, the stinging in my eyes returns, more sand finding its way in. I squeeze them shut again, reflexively bringing my hands to try and rub the sand out, but no luck.

"Oh, my apologies!" Says the old man. "Here, let me close that door." I hear the wood groan again, and the room becomes a bit quieter. I try washing my eyes out once more, but this time keep them closed as I pull my face out from the water. "I imagine you're famished, so I'll see what I can scrounge up. You stay here and get some rest."

"You ain't gotta do all this, really…" I insist.

The old man elicits a weak laugh. "Well, I can't just let you starve, now can I? Don't worry, it's not a problem at all, Yuba may be a bit of a ghost town, but we're in the process of restoring it, so we're doing fine. There's even aid from the capital that makes all the way out here."

_The capital? _"Just where am I? What island is this?"

Again, a stupid question to ask. I couldn't see the man's expression with my eyes closed of course, but I imagine it was something perplexed. "My, you are a strange one, aren't you? This is Alabasta."

_Alabasta. _I am brought back to the only time I had ever come here, to that horrible tragedy at Goldshore, back when I was still with the Fang Frogs. _Not a place I was ever fixin' to come back to._ "I see… Thank you kindly." I tell him.

"Not at all." He says. "My name is Toto by the way; feel free to call if you need anything." He says as he closes the door. _He ain't even asked me my name and he's takin' care a' me. The old man's too nice. Too nice for someone like me, at least. _I lie back down on the shabby bed, glad to rest my aching body.

I don't have the chance to fall asleep, as Toto returns shortly with something to eat. To my starved senses it smells delicious, whatever it is. When he hands it to me, I end up devouring it in record time, so all I could discern about what I just ate was it was some kind of pastry filled with a leafy green, probably spinach. Something finally in my belly, I fall back onto the bed, and am out like a light before the old man is even out of the room.

* * *

I have one of those falling dreams. I was descending out of the clouds towards a great island surrounded by thick clouds, and on that island is a beautiful city of glittering stone and shining glass, and just before I crash into the tallest tower at its center, I am awoken.

I jostle around a bit in the bed, fortunately remembering to keep my eyes closed this time. "You awake?" A man's voice says, almost in a whisper. Something about it is familiar, but I'm too groggy from waking up to pinpoint what it is.

"I am now." I say. _Weird dream. But who's this guy? Is it Toto's son he mentioned?_

The man makes a noise halfway between a quiet laugh and a scorning 'Tch'. "So sorry to bother you, princess." He says snidely. "The screws in that old man's head must be loose. Why bother with a dried up fish in the middle of the desert when you've already got more work than you can handle restoring this crummy ghost town?" He's got a cocky attitude about him that rubs me the wrong way.

_What now? That ain't somethin' the man what saved my life'd say…_ "Wait a second… You ain't-"

"Kohza? You about to say Kohza?" I was, but I don't let him know that. "Honestly, it must run in the family, those two. I didn't believe my ears when he said he found a fishwoman collapsed in the desert. And of course, it just had to be **you**, didn't it?"

I sit up, fully awake. "W-What…?" I stutter. "Do I know you? Who are you?" I want to open my eyes, but I know full well that would cause more harm than help.

He laughs under his breath. "You haven't figured me out yet? I admit, I'm not the most easily recognizable of folks – at least not like you, princess."

_'Princess'… who else called me that…? Wait! Could it be…_ "Larson!?" I gasp, realizing the identity of the mystery man.

"Bingo! We have a winner!" Without any hesitation, I back away from his voice, towards the wall, and move my arms and tentacles in front of me to defend myself. "What's this? Afraid?" He taunts.

"I ain't forgotten what you tried to do last time we was alone in a room together, asshole." I growl.

He groans. "Well I have. And I'd prefer not to be reminded of the idiotic thing I almost did."

"Oh? I never took you for the repentant type, Larson."

"Pssh. You think too highly of yourself, princess. I wouldn't be caught dead doing that with the likes of a fish is all." He says, a cocky-toned brutal honesty. "I'm not here to pick a fight with you, though. I'm not stupid; I may have the power of a Devil's Fruit, but it won't do me a lick of good in this tiny room. But make no mistake Aki, things aren't over. I have nothing but hatred for you and your kind."

"You think I don't know that already?" I quip back. "Kiba told me just before you fit that fat fox captain; your hometown was attacked and destroyed by fishmen when you was young." I pause for a moment, catching my breath. My mouth is dry from the desert heat and aridness, and it makes talking a chore. I can hear Larson's breathing become heavier, angrier. "What if I told you the exact same thing happened to me when I was young? That my hometown was also-"

"I know!" He shouts, indignant. "I know it was, Aki Sinagra!"

_He what?_ "You… know?" I stammer. "How the hell would you…?"

"Oh come on! Put two and two together!"

_He ain't… is he? _"Are you… from Redcliff as well?"

"Thank the stars! You're not as dumb as I feared. Tell me, did that tax your little fish brain to its limit?" He groans. "Of course, nobody called me Larson back then; they had a nickname for me."

I ignore his relentless ridiculing. "Wait a second! Larry? You're Larry!?" _That asshole kid!? _"But I thought for sure I was the only one! The only one who survived!"

"As did I, princess. Then what to my eyes should appear, over ten years later, but the very catalyst for all the suffering I went through since that tragedy? The very person I cursed all those years to make pay for what she caused?"

I'm stunned, appalled even. "So that's why? That's your excuse!?" I yell. "You devote your life to seekin' out a girl who maybe don't even exist no more!? What about your real enemy!?"

"You **are** my enemy, Aki! You and the whole damned fishfolk race! If it wasn't for you, those fishmen would've never come to Redcliff, and none of this would've happened! I might've been someone then!" I hear a boot meet a wooden stool in anger and kick it to the wall. "Not some nobody ex-pirate doing menial labor out in the middle of a goddamned desert!"

I can barely contain my temper. "You think you're the only one who's suffered, Larson!? D'you ever stop to think what I went through? You had an enemy of folks entirely different than you! An easy target to hate! But me? I **was** my enemy! You got any idea what that'll do to a seven year old's mind? It messed me up for years! Hell, I still ain't all right." The words are terribly hard to say, and not just because of the lack of moisture in the air. I've never been good at admitting my own faults and flaws, and I try to think of myself as being in the right, but it's times like this that make me look back and question myself, and I can't stand doing that. But I continue on. "And the real enemy, the Sun Pirates who destroyed our home and everyone we knew, what have you done to seek **them** out? Anythin'!?"

He tries to protest, but I can tell my words have stung into him. "I… I didn't know who they were specifically, I only-"

"Neither did I!" I shout. "But I searched and I discovered their identity! And I devoted my entire life to gettin' strong enough to hunt 'em down and make 'em pay for every life they stole!" My head hurts from all the yelling; I try to calm my nerves for a moment. The adrenaline wanes, and my voice lowers. "I even managed to find one a' their ringleaders, or rather I found the man what did him in and settled my score."

"Are you serious?" Larson gasps. For the first time I don't hear that cocky tone of voice he always carried with him. "You really know who did it?"

"I've been on their trail almost a year now. The others I'm pretty sure are at Fishman Island, and I was almost there until…"

"Until…?"

The pounding in my head worsens. "Forget it." I say. "I'm too tired. Tired of bein' woken up in the middle of the night and tired of talkin' with you. Just get out of here and leave me be."

It takes a moment for Larson to leave, as though he suddenly found something of interest in the conversation other than simply venting his rage. But eventually I hear him stand, set the stool he knocked over back up right, open the door, and leave. My body and mind calm and the pain slowly seeps away, leaving me to a restful, well-appreciated night's rest.


	53. Chapter 53

**Fifty Three – Where to? Treading Without Sight or Direction**

The next day begins with Toto coming in to check on me. My pride no longer putting up with all the special treatment, I try to assure him I can do things on my own, that all this really isn't necessary. He insists of course, so I just stand up forcefully, ignoring his old hands on my shoulders trying to keep me in bed. "I'm an active person." I tell him. "I'll get better quicker on my feet and movin' about, trust me."

He sighs. "Well, if you say so. But aren't you going to open your eyes?"

"I can't." I say. "I ain't got eyelashes to keep the sand out like you humans do."

"I… see. That's a problem, then. Will you be fine?"

_To be honest, I don't know. _ "I should be." I say, but it's not with a certain voice. I think ahead to possible futures. _What do I do now? Where do I go? Back to Sabaody, and eventually Fishman Island? I can't believe I got to make that long trek again. Will I even be able to? The Fang Frogs showin' up when they did and the Straw Hats followin' me everwhere I went were strokes of luck I don't reckon'll happen again. Definitely not the latter – I watched the Straw Hats' final moments. If they manage to find one another again, it'll take years… if ever. Though, I'm sure to find other pirate crews lookin' for hands; they're nary a scarcity on the Grand Line after all, even in a World Government country like Alabasta. But… after what happened last time I up and joined a crew, I think I'd rather not submit myself to pirates for a ride. Agh, but you're gettin' ahead of yourself, Aki! You ain't never seein' a boat again if you don't find a way out a' this desert first!_

Toto notices the tiny stagger in my step. "You're sure?" He asks.

_Can't know unless I try. _I move my tentacles out into the air, feeling around for the walls. I end up finding Toto, bothered by the unprovoked invasion of space. I apologize, then take a couple cautious steps forward in blindness and find a wall. I immediately move up towards it, then start feeling around for the door. I find it, but not before finding a small, thin table and knocking it over, spilling something liquid onto the ground.

"Goodness, hold on! Hold on!" Toto cries. "You're just going to make a mess of things at this rate. Here, take my hand." I feel his calloused hands clasp around one of mine. Without sight, with only the sensation of touch to define him, I realize why I am so calmed in the old man's presence: in him I sense my father. It's not actually him, of course. My father died long ago – this I know. Though were he still alive he would almost be the same age as Toto. Although, thinking back, it really is hard to imagine my father without also my mother at his side. The two were an inseparable pair really, like peas from the same pod.

I don't like it, but I give in and let the old man guide me, to where I haven't a clue. All I can discern is that we're in a hallway, and from a distance, muffled through walls, I can hear a couple men chatting. When Toto opens a door before us I can hear them plainly. A blast of hot air washes over my face these they all go quiet, my presence the usual to any and all conversations. Toto tries to lead me in, and I reluctantly accept, though bumping my head on something in the process, most likely the top of the door frame. It's hard not to open my eyes, to walk about blindly, not knowing who and what is where; it drives the paranoid they're-out-to-get-me-because-I'm-fishfolk part of my brain mad.

"Sorry, this hall's a little too short for someone of your stature." Remarks one of the men. I can't discern from his tone if he's saying that to apologize or to berate. No one else is speaking; I would break the silence myself with something, but I can't find the voice to. After an awkward silence, the same voice speaks again. "Sure you're alright? You were half dead when I found you."

"I'm fine." I say, grumpy. _If anythin's gonna make me ill, it's all this attention. _"How do I get outta here?"

"Please, miss! Don't be so hasty!" Toto implores.

"Dad, if she wants to go, that's her business." The new voice responds. "Though, I have to wonder, where will you go?"

I feel for a chair nearby and sit down. "I need to find the nearest port." I say, plainly.

"Miss the ocean already, huh?" _Nice guess, but no._ "So how are you going to get there?"

"Well, I…"

"Yes?"

I groan, and rubbing the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger. "I dunno." I feel stupid. I need their help, but I'm too stubborn to admit it, and I know that.

Fortunately, the subject is changed by another man in wherever I am, one of the man's friends, or coworkers, or what I don't know. "How'd you get here anyway?" He asks. I can hear a tinge of hesitation, of fear in his voice. "You know?"

My face still in my hand, I tell them "I doubt you'd believe me." _Knowin' every other time I told someone that though, they'll still wanna hear._

"Try us." The first man, Toto's son, Kohza, replies. _Right on cue._

"It was one of the Shichibukai." I say. I hear everyone gasp, a couple more people than I had thought were present.

"One of the seven warlords!?" The second man exclaims.

I nod. "Just four or five days ago. I was at the Sabaody Archipelago when I got caught up in some nasty business. When the bullets started flyin', so did I. Across the world, it seems. I dunno how he did it, some Devil's Fruit power I reckon." A cup is set on the table in front of me. Hesitantly, cautiously, I reach out for it and bring the rim to my nose, sniffing the contents. It's just water, so I graciously drink.

"The news came in about what happened in Sabaody two days ago." Kohza says. "They said an admiral was even called down and a few of the groves were destroyed. You're telling me you were there?" I nod again, setting down the cup. "Why would the Shichibukai target you though?"

I pause for a moment, ejecting a heavy sigh. A door, presumably to outside, opens, and a pair of booted footsteps make their way across the stone floors, then stop, and I hear their owner sit down. Answering Kohza's question, I continue. "To be honest, I ain't got a clue. I think I may a-just been in the wrong place at the wrong time." I can't tell them it's because I was consorting with pirates.

No one had much to say for a little while. I finish the glass of water, and resist the urge to rub my eyes. After a time, it is Toto's voice I hear. "We too have had problems with a Shichibukai." He says. "Not long ago, this town- no… this entire country was in shambles thanks to him, but we're doing much better now; we're on the track back to revitalization."

"They're nothing but a bunch of lowlifes if you ask me." Kohza grumbles. "So maybe… just maybe I'm feeling a little bit of sympathy towards you, fishwoman."

"Aki." I interrupt. "It's Aki. Aki Sinagra."

"Kohza." He replies. "That is, if my dad didn't tell you that already." He did, but I don't say anything. "I, as well as a number of others, are leaving next Thursday to the port city of Nanohana on a supply mission. I wouldn't mind carrying an extra person if it meant a strong pair of fishfolk arms to aid us."

My heart lightens. "That'd certainly be a huge relief." I say. Being honest with him though, I add "But I kinda got a vision problem at the moment. I dunno how much help I'll be to you blind. At least till I get out of this desert. But I do wanna leave as soon as I can!"

Kohza thinks it over for a moment. However, it is not he who responds. It is a person I was unaware was in the room, listening in on our conversation. "I'll take her." comes a snide voice.

"Larson?" Kohza says. He's not the only one puzzled. _Say what!? Why would he help me? The hell is that asshole schemin'? _"What, you mean with you tomorrow? But you're not even heading for the coast, you're off to Alubarna."

"I can make a detour afterwards. I'll still get there before you." Larson assures him.

"But why?" I demand. _He's the last person in the world I'd expect to gimme a helpin' hand._

"You turning down my offer? Thought you wanted outta here quick?" He quips back. I stammer for a moment, without finding a response to give him. _I did say that, but… I dunno… should I? Can I trust him? _"You've got till tomorrow morning, princess. Take it or leave it."

* * *

The rest of that day comes and goes and I still can't make a decision whether I should accept Larson's offer or not. _I do need to return to Sabaody as quickly as I can, but… for sure I can wait a couple weeks more, right?_ After Larson and Kohza give their propositions they both leave the building, which I learn to be a makeshift bar and inn, though no customers have come since the reconstruction of Yuba began. I stay in the bar for a while, talking with some of the other workers. Living in a desert country, they rarely ever saw fishfolk and were naturally curious. I answered loads of questions, some I didn't know the answer to, and most of them embarrassing. "So are you some kind of blindfish?" "What's it like breathing water?" "How do you move those tentacle things?"

"No, I'm a squid, it's just like breathing air, and I dunno… I just do?" Eventually they lose interest and I am able to calm down a bit, though I quickly lose interest as well. Or rather, I need something to find interest in. The bar empty, I carefully feel my way through to the exit, and upon swinging open the crickety wooden double doors, I am welcomed with a dusty wind, a scorching sun, and a blasting heat that instantly seeps its way into every fiber of my body. I'm terribly curious as to what the town of Yuba actually looks like, but of course it would be a lesson in pain if I opened my eyes._ I dunno how everyone else here ain't at least a teensy bit irritated by it. I guess growin' up here they're naturally protected? Bleh… _Following the side of the building by touch, I come upon a shaded area and decide to sit down. I rest there for several minutes, tired, parched, until someone spots me.

"You… you're that fishwoman they found, aren't you?" She says.

"D'you see another?"

I hear her scoff. "I guess the stereotype you're all assholes is true."

"Err… My apologies, Madam. I ain't at all used to this desert." I try to apologize. "It even dried up my tone."

"Yeah sure, I bet. Why aren't you inside?"

"I dunno. Restless, I guess. Hey," I lift myself up off the ground, "could I ask a quick favor of you, Madam?"

"Only if it's quick. I'm technically still on the clock."

"Could you get me somethin' I can see my way with? A stick, or a pole, or somethin'?"

A brief pause. I hear a couple footsteps leading away, then the sound of dry wood snapping. A few seconds later, "Here. In front of you."

I move my hand about to see what she's talking about, and meet what feels like a branch from a dead tree. I clasp it with another hand and feel its length, making sure it won't break, then lower it to the ground and test it, moving it around to see. "A thousand thanks, Madam."

"Don't mention it." She says, then adds "Literally."

I assure her my lips will remain closed, and she leaves me to my blind wandering about town. I get lost a couple times, forgetting how many steps this or that way I'd gone, or which building was which, but I always hear voices nearby, sometimes speaking in hushed tones about me, but mostly talking about the work that needs to be done around the town. I ask if I can help in any way, but unfortunately Toto is around when I do, and absolutely isn't going to let me do any work. "You really shouldn't even be walking around like this!"

I sigh and assure him I'll return to the inn and get some rest. "If I knew which way it was." Everyone laughs, and one of the guys offers to show me the way. My pride won't allow me to be cast in the "helpless damsel" light, so though I thank him for the offer, I pass on it. "Just point me in the right direction and I'll find it." _I _**_am_**_ feelin a bit weak; I reckon I oughta lay down for a bit._ However, when I find my way back to the inn and into my room (at least I'm pretty sure it's the right room), I find myself drifting off into sleep almost right away. I hadn't expected to get so tired, and certainly not so quickly.

When I awake, I am unsure whether it is day or night. I feel like I've rested a while, but I'm not going to open my eyes, and there is no window in the room to pour sunlight in, so I can't tell just how long I've been asleep. My stick is still leaning up against the wall, so I pick it up and quietly leave the room into the hallway, treading carefully just in case it is the dead of night, and I accidentally wake people up.

By the time I reach the bar and the double doors leading outside, I discover it really is the dead of night after all. The air is refreshingly cool, cold almost even. After a minute or so of standing outside, I get a shiver running up and down my spine. I decide to do something I haven't done in a long time. Something daring too, considering my circumstances – I climb up the side of the inn to sit on the rooftop. I manage to make it to the top without much trouble; it's only one story. Once I'm up there, I lie down on my back and, on a whim, open my eyes.

The sky is magnificient. Stars more than the mind can fathom litter the heavens, some large and bright, some small and faint, some pink, some orange, some faint blue. Among them hangs the moon, crescent, silver, radiant. From one end of the horizon to the other, like a vast indigo ribbon, the Great Starcloud stretches endlessly. I wonder for a moment what's all out there, what all that up there means – you know, the things everyone wonders looking up at the sky.

My pondering is cut short however, by a wind that carries with it fine particles of sand that get in my eyes, forcing them shut. I curse under my breath and roll over, waiting for the wind to pass. When it finally does, I hide my head in my shirt and try to wipe my eyes clean. Doing so gives me an idea however, on how to possibly fix this blindness problem. I'm still wearing of all things the somewhat frilly top given to me by Shakky on the last day I was working for her in her bar; I grab at the bottom of the white fabric, near my waist, and rip a sloppy tear in it, all around the clothing, until I'm left with a thin band of fabric. I bring the strip up to my face and cover my eyes with it, then pull it around to the back of my head and tie a tight knot, holding it in place around my head. _Now, the test._ I open my eyes, and brace for a stinging pain.

However, none comes. The cloth shield works. I can barely look through the stuff, but I can see well enough to spot my hands and tentacles in front of my face, the edge of the roof, and the blurry buildings beyond that, and that's enough. I breathe a large sigh of relief and lie back down. Up here on the roof gets to be too chilly though, so I make my way back down to the ground. Not at all tired, I decide to have a proper look around the town, see what I couldn't before.

There isn't much. The inn is one of only three buildings full constructed and maintained, the other two being Toto's home and a warehouse; everything else is either in ruins or has scaffolding around it. It's rather depressing really – I can tell Yuba used to be much more vibrant than it was. _I wonder just what caused it to fall. A drought, maybe?_ _Or a sandstorm?_ I even entertain the possibility that bandits may have ransacked the place once upon a time. _It does look like the kinda place Gus woulda picked for a target._

By the time I've finished exploring, the sky is in twilight, getting ready for the morning sun. I decide to return to the inn, but a voice stops me halfway there. "Made your mind, princess?" I stop my leisurely pace down the sandy street, then swivel around slowly to spot a blurry Larson through the fabric. "What's with the get-up?" He asks, jeering. "You able to see through that?"

"Well enough to see your ugly mug ain't changed none."

He laughs. "Ouch. And here I thought I was being nice, offering you passage."

I cross my arms in front of me. "You think I ain't gonna be skeptical, Larson?"

His dim figure shrugs. "I don't really care what a damn fish thinks about me. Hate my guts for all I care. At least then we'll be even with each other."

"If you don't care, then why are you doin' this? What can you hope to gain out of it?"

He doesn't respond right away. He takes a while and makes me wait, anxious, apprehensive. When he does speak, it is in a lowered tone, with little emotion to speak of. "You in or not, princess?"

_Now I **gotta**__ know. What's he hidin' from me? He knows somethin' I don't._ "Fine. Let's go, then."

"Good, 'cause we're wasting time. I wanna get outta here before Kohza wakes up and piles more work on me. So get your shit and let's go."

"What shit?" I say with a tone as dry as the desert around me. "What you see is all I got."

Neither of us say another word, until Yuba is far behind us, out of sight, out of mind.


	54. Chapter 54

**Fifty Four – Journey! Traversing the Endless Desert**

"So why are we gettin; there the old-fashioned way?" I ask, nearly breathless. It is the middle of the day, and even with the extra large headscarf Larson had in his pack, the fierce sun is still beating down mercilessly upon me as we make our way on camelback through the desert. We both sit on the same large saddle, Larson in front with the reins and I behind him, holding onto the saddle with a couple tentacles. The camel seemed a little perturbed when he saw he was going to be bearing me. Not that I blame him, trekking all day under this sun with the weight of two passengers, once notably larger than what he's used to.

"Care to enlighten me on what the new-fashioned way would be?"

"Your Devil's Fruit power I mean. Couldn't we be in Aluwhatever just like that?" I snap my fingers.

"**I** could." He replies. "But only me. It's **my** Devils Fruit power, so **my** body is the only one that can withstand that speed. If I tried to bring another person along the forces would turn 'em to goo."

_That's… unpleasant. Dare I ask how you figured that out? _"So what, it's my fault then?"

"Pretty much." He laughs.

"Now I really don't understand why you're takin' me along."

"Of course you don't." He jibes. "Leave the heavy thinking to us who can actually do it."

I almost lash out for that, but the last thing I need is him changing my mind and leaving me for dead out here in the desert. _Hopefully that wasn't his plan from the start._

A couple days pass and little happens. The sheer massiveness of the desert is almost unfathomable. Even through the white fabric over my eyes I could clearly behold its magnificence. When I first saw the sea riding down the lift at Westport, I thought I would never again witness something so massive, so never-ending and virtually infinite. But this desert… it's almost as if the land wished to mimic its watery brother, fashioning its own sea out of the sand. _I wonder then if there's a world a' life underneath these sands just like under the ocean? _Larson doesn't speak much in those two days. When he does, it's always jabs and insults, so I quickly learn not to bother sparking up a conversation, instead turning back to the scenery to marvel and to wonder. On the third day however we have a decent conversation. It's during the night as we're camped at a large pool of water amidst giant rocks jutting out from the sand that form a sort of canyon in the middle of the desert. The first thing we all do is get a much appreciated drink of course, and fill our canteens. By the time we arrive, the day is already long after sunset, so the water is refreshingly warm compared to the chill of the desert night. I think about going for a swim, but find the water is too shallow. So instead I just wash off; the sand in my ears had been driving me nuts. A little had even found its way itching and burning into my gills, even though I've always been keeping them closed up tight.

"Still, one hell of a surprise findin' you was from Redcliff too." I say, looking up at the bright sky. Larson doesn't say anything. "You sure don't talk like you're from the region, that's for sure."

He emits a short, guttural laugh under his breath. "You mean like a country bumpkin? Like you?" He says, his dialect suddenly shifted to something much like mine.

"Hey now!" I shout. "Ain't nothin' wrong with the way I talk!"

He reverts back to his usual speech. "There is if you wanna get somewhere in the world. Didn't take long for me to figure that out growing up in Mariejois after I fled Redcliff."

"The capital? You lived in the capital?"

Larson nods. "For several years, on the streets. Then I joined the Marines."

"No kiddin'… Hey, d'you ever tell anyone you was from Redcliff?" I ask.

"A couple times, yeah. Why?"

"First person I told, she said I oughta never tell another soul that as long as I lived. She was mighty afeared when she said it too. Like I was a ghost or somethin'."

Larson blows a raspberry. "Well, it sucks to be you then, huh?" He jeers. "Telling someone is what got me a nice spot in the Marines. Apparently someone higher up had an interest in that town. Asked me all sorts of questions. Even asked me about you."

"Me!?" I exclaim. _The Marines knew I was there? How… what? __**Me**__? _I can't even begin to properly process that information, so I set it aside to think about later.

"That's what I said, fish. They asked me about a fishgirl living there, and I told 'em the truth – that I didn't know a thing. Still got into the Marines, though. Course, that didn't last long either. Kiba and the Fang Frogs attacked the ship I was first mate of, and then it was either join or walk the plank." He thinks back for a moment, then asks me a question. "So what happened to the old dog?"

"Kiba?" I'm almost hesitant to tell him. _They seemed kinda buddy-buddy at times._ …_Ah, to hell with it._ "I kicked his ass, that's what."

Larson laughs triumphantly. "I bet he didn't put up much of a fight, that dick!" I think back to the fight, namely the part with the cannon. _Not a fun time. _"So when'd you do him in? You challenge him to a duel or something as soon as them games were over?"

"Ryahahaha!" I laugh out loud. Larson looks at me like I'm crazy. Well, crazier than he usually thinks of me. "You said 'them games'!" I snicker. He instantly grows a shade redder in embarassment and mumbles something behind his collar. Rubbing my eyes for a moment to ease the laughter, I then tell him the story of what happened up until I fought Kiba and his followers – about the second Davy Back Game with the Straw Hats, about how we lost and Monkey set the entire crew free just because he didn't want to bother with them, and how I tagged along with him and happened across Foxy again, and eventually Kiba. I left out the island where I lost my memories, as it didn't seem all that important.

"So you with the Straw Hats now? I've heard about them. They're the ones who knocked off Crocodile here in Alabasta, right?"

"I think so." I reply. "But no, I ain't with 'em." I have a small, quiet laugh under my breath. "They like to think I am, but I'm done bein' a pirate."

"Same here." Larson says, throwing another dead stick onto our small campfire. Orange sparks flutter every which way for a brief moment. "In fact, that reminds me of something. It should go without saying, but…" He trails off for a moment. I wait for the inevitable comment about fishfolk idiocy, but he doesn't make one. "You and I are the only ones left who know what happened at Goldshore. And it's gonna stay that way. You got it, fish?"

"Psh. What, d'you think I'd rat you out to get back at you? I don't hate you that much." I answer. "Not enough to get my own ass locked away for life. Or worse." I lie down on my back and look up at what stars I can see, tentacles behind my head forming a makeshift pillow. _He had to mention Goldshore, didn't he…? I wish I could forget that tragedy, wipe my mind clean of it. What if someone, some kid managed to escape? What if another me was born that day? Another lost and broken soul? I don't think I could stand to know I helped do somethin' like that. But wait – Larson said…_ "What d'you mean, 'we're the only ones left'? What happened to the rest of the Fang Frogs after that game?"

"All dead, probably." He simply responds. "Without a sail we were just drifting aimlessly on the sea for days. We could've lasted a while with the amount of rations we had stored, but our luck turned even more sour about a week after the game. A school of sea monkeys found our ship."

"Sea… monkeys?" I stutter. "That don't sound very threatenin'."

"Nothing on this stupid ocean does until you actually come face to face with it. The sea monkeys were playful creatures, and by playful I mean create a tidal wave to capsize your ship just for laughs. I knew I wasn't going to make it out alive if I stayed on that ghost ship any longer, so I took a gamble and used my power in a way I wasn't even sure would work – I built up a burst of speed and ran atop the water. I just kept running until I came across land, and it just so happened to be Alabasta that I arrived in." Part of me wanted to reprimand him for just letting all the other crew members perish when he was supposed to be the replacement captain, but in truth I knew I'd do the same damn thing, so I kept my mouth shut. "Now I'm doing this stupid gig for the Alabastan government." He pulls out something from inside the loose folds of his clothing. I sit up to get a better look; it's an envelope sealed with a red wax stamp. "Delivering shit like this. It's probably not even anything important, but when it's going to the Captain of the Royal Guard himself, well…" He puts the envelope back away, and starts to smother the fire with sand. I fall back to the ground, and in little time find myself lost in a cold sleep.

* * *

The next morning brings heat and light. We set off quickly, wasting little time, both of us wanting to return to civilization as soon as possible. In the middle of the hot afternoon we come across the Sandora River, the longest and largest river in Alabasta. At first it seems like it must be an illusion, but as the distant blue and green glimmer on the horizon becomes closer and closer, it's obvious that it is indeed real; we have reached the halfway point on our journey to the capital, Alubarna. Without thinking, without a care for anything else in the world, I happily leap headfirst into the river. The water is nice and warm (though a bit sandy), and feels incredible after that long, dry, sweaty, itchy trek through the desert. After a brief swim to exercise my limbs a bit, I realize I just kinda left Larson out there, so I poke my head back out of the water and tread over to the shore. He looks as grumpy as always to see me.

"Having fun out there, fish?" He grumbles. I stick my tongue out at him. "If it was just the two of us I'd say 'To hell with it, let's cross here', but our camel buddy here needs a ride too."

"So what'll you do?" I ask. "There a bridge?"

He points to the north. "A ferry, a little ways upstream. Go ahead and swim there until you find it and wait for me."

"That an order?" I say, doing my best to imitate his snide tone.

"You want it to be?"

I shrug and dive back down underwater, glad to have some time to myself away from that asshole, and away from the harsh sun and sand of the desert. I take the cloth band off of my head and wrap it around my wrist, then begin a casual swim northwards against the stream. I'm surprised at just how much life there is down here, for being in the middle of a desert. The river is filled with all sorts of plantlife, and more fish than I can count – large fish, small fish, thin fish that swim near the surface, and flat, bottom-feeding fish along the riverbed. I find many reptiles as well, some turtles, snakes, and a crocodile that thankfully doesn't care to pick a fight. A hippopotamus (at least I think that's what it is; I've never seen one before) however, gets angry at me swimming by and begins to give chase, bounding along the bottom of the river in great strides. I'm surprised at the speed at which it runs along the floor, but it still doesn't have a chance of catching up to me. I dash away easily and continue my swim.

Not long after my episode with the hippo, I come across a pair of docks on either side of the wide river. Next to the one opposite the side we came from I spy the hull of a boat. _This must be the place Larson was talkin' 'bout. I wonder if I even need him at this point, though._ I wrap the cloth over my eyes, then slowly ascend to the surface, hesitantly instead of all at once, hoping not to make a scene like in Cocoyashi Village. Immediately the heat and the sandy wind brushes over my face.

On the edge of the river, next to the wooden dock that juts out into the water is a white stone building, not very large and not very well-maintained. Nearby is a small caravan of wagons. Two figures are speaking in the doorway of the building. I can't make out their figures, nor what they're talking about, but by the sound of their tones they both seem a little angry, one disappointed in something, and the other simply annoyed. Quietly I move in a little closer to the shore to try and make out their words.

"-can't just tell them to bring the boat over? I'm in a terrible hurry here!" One, a man with a high-strung voice, complains.

"Whatever it is, it can wait thirty minutes." The other, an old woman, grumbles.

"Thirty minutes?" I can have my caravans loaded and be on the eastern shore in fifteen! Look!" He pleads. "There's not even anyone over there!"

"Schedules are schedules," the old woman affirms, "and they're not to be broken!"

"But-"

"No, I'll hear no more of this! You'll wait, just like everyone!"

The man sighs, defeated. Just then, a sharp biting feeling alights in one my my tentacles, and with a small breath of pain I pull it out of the water in a reflex, throwing off a hungry fish with sharp teeth in the process.

The noise alerts the man. He turns out towards the river, sees me, and cries out "What in the world is that!?"

The old woman groans. "You just don't know when to quit, do you?" She still looks however, and gasps upon spotting me.

Discovered, I raise my mouth above the water and exclaim "I'm sorry! I wasn't tryin' to spy or nothin'-"

"Mercy, it can talk!" The man shouts.

"What the hell is it?" Says the old woman.

_Oh boy. This ain't gonna be easy. _"I ain't gonna harm you, I promise! Can I come ashore?"

Neither of them say yes, but neither of them say no either, so I take my chances and climb up onto the dock, hoping I'm not met with the barrel end of a gun. As I walk down the steady wooden planks, I can more easily make out the two figures. The man is a plump merchant, no doubt the owner of the caravan nearby where a couple of camels are resting in the shade of some palm trees, chewing their cud. The old woman has a straight back for her age, and is wearing a headscarf similar to mine to protect herself from the sun's rays. She most likely is the owner of the ferry, or at least works for the owner.

"Hold it… you're fishfolk, aren't you?" The merchant gasps.

"Ah! That makes things a might bit easier if I don't gotta explain that." I answer.

"I've read about you." He continues. "Half man, half fish – something like that, right? You live at the bottom of the ocean, don't you?"

"Yeah, sure."

"What are you doing in a desert then?"

"Long story. I'm travellin' with a partner to the capital. We need passage for us and our camel across the river."

"Now wait just a minute!" The old woman protests, interjecting herself into the conversation. "I've never heard of these 'fishwhatevers', before! Just what are you!?"

_This woman… I really don't feel like explainin' this._ "I'm just an exhausted traveler." I say. "If you'd rather speak with my partner when he gets here, that's fine. I ain't gonna take offense." Taking each step cautiously, I move to the merchant's small caravan to the shade of the palm trees and rest underneath them, taking off my headscarf and enjoying the breeze across my sweated forehead. The two speak in hushed voices, but I can tell they're talking about me. I don't let it bother me, though. _The woman's probably lived out here on this river her whole life. Ain't no wonder she never even heard of my kind._ I let my mind wander off as I wait for Larson to arrive. The ferry comes and goes, taking with it the hurried merchant. Before then, when he comes near to ready his caravan, I ask him what his wares are.

"Foods!" He replies. "Mostly dried fruits and meats. Would you care to make a purchase? I've even got a small bit of seafood; I imagine you'd like that."

My stomach rumbles at the thought of some shrimp jerky, if such a wondrous thing even exists. "My partner's got all the money, sadly, or I would."

He looks disappointed. "Ah well, another time. You said you were headed to Alubarna? I make frequent visits then, perhaps we'll meet again."

We say our farewells and he boards the ferry. I start thinking about seafood again. _Shrimp… tuna… crab… shrimp… octopus… _I gasp. _Octopus! That's right! My little octopus buddies on Monkey's ship! Oh, I hope they're doin' alright; it's been almost a month now. I swear, if Sanji cooked 'em up, I'll have that swirly-eyebrowed bastard's… _The train of thought stops. I sigh for a moment and close my eyes, rubbing them through the cloth. _Shoot, what's up with me? Carin' so much over a bunch of stupid octopuses… octopi… whatever._ _Ain't like me. _The green moss and gray trees of Sabaody Archipelago come alive in my mind's eye. I remember back to the battle with Bartholomew, Sentoumaru, and the slow-mouthed admiral. The look on Monkey's face when he saw his crewmates vanish. It fills me simultaneously with a feeling of pity and of disdain. _Why __**do**__ they care so much? __**How**__ do they care so much? _Monkey's words repeat, a powerful memory."_Please! Don't do it… don't take Squid-head too! Just let me… have saved at least __**someone**__, please!" _Pop. He's gone. Again I watch him vanish into thin air, a ghostly image of overwhelming fear lingering after him. And then Bartholomew turns to me. _He spoke like he knew me… or rather, like he knew a me I didn't. Was he mistakin' me for someone else? Maybe I got a twin? _The thought seems silly, too convenient even, but I entertain it for a while. _Maybe she lives in the Storm Kingdom, and she don't know she got a sister out there too. She lives there with her… with her parents. Her mother and father. __**My**__ mother and father._ The words sound strange to say even in my head. _I got another pair a' parents out there somewhere, don't I? Or do I? Are they still alive? I wonder if they looked for me. I wonder if they even care. Maybe __**they**__ was the ones who abandoned me._

All this thinking about my past, my histories and identities that may or may not be true, makes me return in thought to Bartholomew. _He said somethin' about this just before the end… didn't he? _I concentrate, burrowing through the fear of the time to recover his words. "_Seek the cobra. And bring with you these words: 'Istia returns.' "_

_'Istia.'_ I repeat the strange word in my head. _What's that mean, anyhow? And what's he mean by 'the cobra'? He chose to send me here to Alabasta, didn't he? Am I s'pposed to search for this cobra here?_

My chain of thought is interrupted by Larson's unpleasant voice. "Daydreaming, princess?"


	55. Chapter 55

**Fifty Five – Seek the Cobra! Following Words and Ideas**

I should have foreseen that letting Larson explain things to the old woman would be a bad idea. "What d'you say to her anyway?" I ask him as we're sitting on the ferry's stern, looking back towards the dock and the old woman who's waving at us. I awkwardly wave back.

Larson has a small, condescending laugh. "Just that you're my personal servant."

I stop waving. "Hey!" I growl.

That only makes him laugh harder. "And that you're an incredibly primitive race that gets distracted by anything shiny!" I swing a fist at him, but he's too far away; he dodges it easily. "Or anything that smells good!" He adds. I hurl obscenities at him as he walks towards the bow where the captain's standing, steering the craft. _The hell'd I choose to go with this asshole again?_

In little time we reach a similar dock on the opposite side of the Sandora River. Larson and I help tie the ferry beside the platform, then disembark along with the camel onto the old, creaking wood. We give our thanks to the ferryman, then ready ourselves for the second leg of the journey, hop on the camel, and set off.

The eastern half of Alabasta is not nearly as difficult to traverse. The western was largely giant sand dunes we had to be careful treading upon, or else we'd slip down and be caught in the thin sand at the bottom. This half of the desert, however, is more of a flat wasteland than an ocean of sand. It's just as hot though; Larson keeps complaining that I'm going through the water too quickly. "What I get for bringing a fish along." He grumbles.

"Then why'd you up and gimme the offer in the first place?" I grumble back. He doesn't have anything to say to that, instead letting silence again reign. Fortunately, though it is largely a wasteland, there are streams and pools here and there, where green dominates the land as much as beige and wild animals congregate in great numbers; jackals, rodents, lizards with large frills on their necks, a pack of wild horses, and many, many flocks of very loud birds. Thinking perhaps it would be safe, I remove the cloth from around my eyes. It's fine for about two minutes, but then a wind swoops in and my eyes start itching and watering up again. So the headband goes back on, and we continue on our trek.

In good time we arrive in more hilly terrain, and eventually, two days after leaving the Sandora River, on the horizon I can spy mountains . They are nowhere near as tall or majestic as the ones of the Red Line, but even so, glimpsing mountains once again fills me with a nostalgic longing for my homeland. He doesn't say it, and he tries not to show it, but I can see in Larson too they invoke similar feelings.

"This mean we're near the capital?" I ask.

Larson nods. "We should reach Alubarna not long after sunset."

His estimate was early by a couple hours. We travel east, away from the sun, always keeping the distant mountain ridge on our northern horizon. After dusk, when the stars begin to reveal themselves in the creeping night sky, Alubarna finally comes into sight. I can't tell if it's on a natural plateau or a giant man-made platform, but the entire city is raised several hundred feet above the ground. Five massive stairways are the only apparent way in and out of the capital. The city itself, true to the country's name, is a shining metropolis of white alabaster stone. Domed rooftops are painted in the dazzling colors of precious gems – vibrant emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. Closer to the northern edge of the city, towering above all the rest, is what is undoubtedly the royal palace. Three magnificent towers pierce up into the night sky, gold and ivory that shines just as fiercely as if it were daytime.

Larson sports a melancholy tone. "Always kinda reminds me of Redcliff whenever I come here."

"Huh!?" I exclaim, surprised to hear such a thing. "How in the world does this remind you of our tiny little town?"

"Well it's…" He begins, then trails off for a moment. "The way it's sitting up near the mountain… maybe? Never mind. Forget I said anything, fish." He grumbles, then whips the reins.

I expect the camel to have some trouble climbing up the stairs, but he manages just fine. _How they get somethin' with wheels up, though…_ When we reach the top of the stairway into the city proper, I'm surprised at how quiet the place is. _I thought for sure a city this big'd never sleep. _"What time is it?" I ask Larson.

"Just after ten." He replies, looking at his pocketwatch. "Too late to deliver the letter. We'll find an inn for the night and deliver it tomorrow morning." An inn is found, tucked away alongside a market street. We only see a handful of people on our way there, maybe twenty or thirty. It reminds me of just before the Aqua Laguna. _Please don't tell me they got somethin' similar here. _The thought of a giant tidal wave of sand sends a shivering fright into me.

We hop off the camel and tie him up by a number of others in an alcove off to the side of the building. Entering the inn brings a number of senses alive. The yellow light of a dozen lamps, the scent of fragrant perfumes, and the silence of the wind vanishing, replaced with the still, controlled air. The innkeeper, a portly woman in her middle age, greets us. "Two?" She asks.

Larson nods, pulling from his pocket a badge emblazoned with the seal of the government of Alabasta. _I guess they're payin' for the room. Neat._ She hands us the key to the room, and we make our way down the hallway to the matching door. After a brief tangle getting the key to fit we enter the room, and to our dismay find there's only one bed. Larson and I dart our eyes towards the other for just a moment, then simultaneously make a mad scramble to claim the bed for ourselves. I push his face out of the way and he tugs on a tentacle, and we both step on each other's feet, growling and cursing, and in the end we both leap towards the bed in one last effort.

"Hah!" I exclaim. "I got here first! Tough luck!"

"Are you blind, you idiot? If you'd take that damn ribbon off your head you'd have seen I was here long before you!"

"I can see just fine, asshole! You didn't win!"

He growls. "Did you forget who's paying for the room, princess?"

"Looked like it was the Alabastan government to me." I snicker.

"And why do you think that is? Because I'm stuck with this shitty job, that's why!"

I stammer for a moment. "Well… well I was the one what spotted the inn!" I try and rebuke. "You was about to keep on goin' past!"

"Like that matters!"

I decide to be haughty about it. Turning my back to him, raising my chin into the air, I sit down and cross my arms in front of me. "Forget it, I ain't budgin' from this spot."

I can't tell what he's about to do. _Yell? Strike me?_ In the end however, he pulls the exact same number as me, and simply holds his ground on his half of the bed. This continues on for quite a while, neither of us giving up an inch, only occasionally shooting glances back towards the other. _He'd rather die than give in, wouldn't he? Well, you ain't the only one, buddy._ Eventually however, the spectre of sleep begins to drift into us. Our eyelids become heavy, our movements slowed, muddled. I don't know which of us falls asleep first, but I don't think he does either.

* * *

A terrified, disgusted yell wakes me. While we were both asleep the two of us drew closer to each other so that Larson awoke to find himself embracing me in a hug, and a couple of my tentacles were wrapped around his legs.

"Quit actin' like you was the only disgusted, you hairy little troll." I grumble, after we've left the inn and are heading towards the royal palace. We left the camel tied up at the inn, planning on returning there tonight.

The royal palace is easily identifiable anywhere in Alubarna, but getting there isn't so easy. You can't just look up and follow the spires, as the city is like a maze; streets twist and turn with no recognizable pattern, thin alleyways will lead you here and there and anywhere, and all the buildings are built in the same style, so there aren't many landmarks to remember. Even Larson gets lost for a moment, trying to find his way to the palace. "There's a giant plaza right before it, it's easy to find!" He grumbles. _Then why ain't we found it yet, smart guy? _I tell him to just ask someone how to get there, but I should've known the idiot's too stubborn to do such a thing. Though unlike at night, the crowds in the middle of the day are immense, tightly-packed, and chaotic, so just pulling someone out amidst the mass of people could be challenge enough as it is.

Eventually, around noon (we overslept a bit), we notice a change in the crowd. The people all seem to be moving in one direction. "I think they're heading towards the plaza." Larson notes. I almost respond by reminding him of all the other times he thought the palace was in a certain direction, only to be lost yet again. Yet, his hunch ends up being correct. Following the crowds leads us to a grand promenade, an enormously large plaza one could fit an entire town into, and beyond that, the triplet golden spires of the Alabastan Royal Palace. The plaza is not empty however. Far from it – it's packed full. Larson slaps his forehead when he realizes what they're here for. "Damn it… How could I forget? The king always delivers a speech on the first of the month." He interjects a low growl into a sigh. "Great. Now I'm gonna have to wait."

_The king, huh? Never seen royalty before._ "You can't just deliver the letter while he's givin' his speech?"

"Doubt it." Larson replies. "The nation just came out of a civil war. The king himself was almost assassinated. Ever since, the security's been so tight you'd think they were competing with Impel Down." _Well that's a bummer._ Peering across the plaza, I can make out figures of armor glistening under the desert sun like tiny beacons in a sea of heads – a **lot** of tiny beacons, at that. Larson's right – they almost look like they're at war still. _This's the same war the Straw Hats helped stop, right? _Madam Nico told me a bit about it. There was a rebellion or something being egged on to war by the Shichibukai, Crocodile. In the end, things were cleared up between the two sides, but… _I guess they think there might still be some folks out there with thoughts a' rebellion._

After a few minutes of pondering, the crowd suddenly becomes alive, an anxiousness aroused in the air. I look up again over everyone's heads towards the royal palace, to see its large pearly white gates open up, and from them a figure walks out. The plaza erupts into cheer. "And there's the old fart, himself." Larson says. "Guy looks like he's seen better days." The king, escorted by two guardsmen, walks up a flight of stairs carved into an massive stone block, to a platform where he will deliver his speech. My vision limited as it is, I can only see a blurry figure.

One of the guard speaks. His voice is carried across the plaza by a series of loud Den Den Mushis. "Presenting His Majesty," He proclaims in an official, punctuated voice, "the twelfth king of Alabasta, Nefertari Cobra!"

My heart skips a beat. _Cobra? Cobra!? His name is…!?_ "My people!" The king shouts in the majestic tone only a king could possess. "Another month has come and gone – another month of progress!" The audience cheers and applauds. _I can't believe it! 'The cobra' is a person?_ I start to move into the crowd, worming my way through towards the palace.

"Fish?" Larson exclaims. "Hey, where you going!? Aki!" I don't listen. _The hell does he care?_ I can't tell if he's following me or not. He probably is, but it doesn't matter. I only have one thing in mind, and that's confronting this man, this king Cobra, discovering just what he knows, just who he is, and possibly even just who **I** am.

The king's speech continues. "Not six months even have passed since that brief, shameful war. Yet it seems like a lifetime, nearly." I rush through the crowd, frightened folk scrambling to move away from the large fishwoman barreling across the plaza. "The rest of the world thought that war would finish Alabasta, that the villain Crocodile's ambition would come to pass, even if he did not see it himself. But the people of this great nation did not let that happen!" The audience cheers. I am close to the palace now. Close enough that I can see now through the cloth the king's features. He is a man of the age where the grey has had a few years to creep into his hair. His face is flat and stern and his stature proud, but at the same time he has a sort of kingly humility to him, as paradoxical as that may sound.

Some of the guards have noticed my coming. As I near the edge of the plaza, three move to intercept me. "Hold it right there!" One shouts, holding a palm in the air. "The king is giving his speech! I'll allow no disruptions!"

"But!" I try and protest, but he is deadly serious, brandishing his halberd in front of me. "But I gotta speak with him!"

The guard's face contorts in both anger and befuddlement. "You are not of this land! What business would you have with our king, hmm!? Speak, fishwoman!" He shakes his weapon at me. His two partners look ready for a scrap as well.

"I…" I begin, though that is all I manage to get out. I've drawn a bit of attention to myself, and I find myself starting to panic a bit. _Damn it! Do I give up here? Do I fight these men? No, I'm sure they can be reasoned with!_ "Please!" I plead. "I just wanna speak with him, I ain't gonna harm no one!"

They aren't buying it. Two move to grab both my arms, and I, distraught, do not notice until their gauntlets are grasped around my wrists. My first instinct is to overpower them, but a voice from behind catches my attention. "What the hell are you doing, fish!?" Larson yells from the edge of the crowd. I look behind for just a moment at him, then turn back to the guards, where the silver edge of a halberd's blade is inches away from my neck. _No! I can't… I ain't lettin' him slip away!_

With nothing else to do, I inhale as large a breath as my lungs will allow, then scream in the direction of the king the two words I was given: "ISTIA RETURNS!"

The plaza goes quiet. Cobra, who had been giving his speech unaware of my conflict with the guardsmen, stops directly in the middle of a word, his breath stolen. Mine has left me as well – I find myself affixed in place, unable to move or think until the silent king speaks.

Finally, he speaks. "Who said that?" He says, apprehensive. "Who said that!?" He repeats, louder and with a tinge of anger, fury. He doesn't even realize his voice is still being amplified throughout the plaza.

My voice returns to me. "I did!" I yell, shaking the shocked soldiers' grips from my wrists and standing tall. Cobra instantly redirects his attention down to me, squints a moment, then with a gasp drops the Den Den Mushi receiver and nearly falls backwards in shock. A gasp echoes out across the plaza, all the crowd in worry.

One of the guards regains his senses. "You! What did you do to him!?" He reaffirms his grip on his halberd, and I ready myself for a fight with the man. "I don't know what powers you hold, fishwoman, but I'll have you in chains for this!"

"No!" Cries the king. Both I and the guard stop and turn our gaze in his direction. He has recovered, walking down the stone stairs with great trepidation, his eyes fixed directly at me. He approaches me, and as he does, his expression is filled with more and more fear, until I am sure he is going to crack under the weight of it all. _What's he see in me that's scarin' the life outta him? _

But he is a king, and kings do not falter under pressure. He stands before me, looking up at my hidden eyes. He whispers something under a frown, then regains himself and says to the guard who, just a moment ago, was ready to strike me down, "Bring her to the palace. I would… speak with her."

The guard does not know what to think of this. Hell, **I** don't know what to think of this. I look behind me, at Larson; I think he stopped trying to make sense of things long ago. The soldiers do not contest their king's orders. One retrieves the Den Den Mushi and announces the premature end to the king's speech. Another apprehensively leads Larson and I through the alabaster doors, to the shining gold towers of the royal palace.


	56. Chapter 56

**Fifty Six – Deception and Deceit! Unwariness in the Palace**

I approach the palace with great apprehension. Past the troubled masses, past the tall walls, I am alone amongst Alabastans. _Lotta guards… It'll be tough gettin' out if this turns ugly. Havin' my sight diminished certainly don't help none. _The king and I walk side by side –a precaution he takes, though possibly also a gesture of goodwill. I can't tell. We walk up to a high courtyard of surprisingly green color. Grass grows freely here, as do a number of bushes, flowers, and trees. I can't admire the scenery though; I'm too afraid of what might happen, just what this king might have in store for me. _A punishment for my outburst? Did Bartholomew have me say those words to turn the Alabastans against me?_ However, by the look on King Cobra's face as he keeps darting his eyes to his left, up at me towards me, one might think he is just as afraid. _Does he expect me to start the conflict? Is that what he's plannin' for? Gah! I can't tell what the winnin' move is! _

"Miss…" The king says, in a low, almost voiceless breath, just as we stand before the lavish front doors to the royal palace. He seems to search for the words to follow, but cannot find them, or perhaps cannot bring himself to say them. I wait for him to continue, but it takes a short while, a short, windy silence. "I will have your name if you are to enter my home." He finally says.

"My… o-of course." The words spatter out and disappear into the desert air like flecks of hot water. "Aki." I reply. "Aki Sinagra."

He laughs into the wind, a coarse, quiet laugh like one from a man staring at his own doom. " 'Sinagra', you say?"

_What's this? Has he heard the name before?_ "That's right." I answer.

A deep breath from the king. "Very well then, Miss Sinagra. Come with me into the palace."

Larson nudges my elbow. I'd totally forgotten about him. I lean my head down a bit and he whispers "His Majesty sounds like he knows you, princess. The hell did you do?"

"Would you quit callin' me that?" I whisper back. "Especially in a place like this!"

"Is there a problem?" Asks the king.

Larson answers. "Your Highness," he addresses in a very un-Larson-like manner, "I'm with the Environmental Ministry. I have a letter addressed to Captain Igaram I must deliver posthaste."

The king nods. "I thought I recognized you from somewhere. I believe Igaram is in the training hall, overseeing new recruits." Larson thanks him with a bow and hurries into the palace with a dignified stride. Hesitant, but reassured now that he's gone before me, I follow the king through the massive doors.

Inside, the palace seems even larger than it did before. I enter into a grand hall with a ceiling several stories high, supported by thick stone columns ornately engraved, from which hang several semi-transparent white banners of silk. The floor is polished tile the color of ivory, glazed with intricate patterns I can only partially make out through the cloth. The hall extends back a bit to where the royal throne itself sits stalwartly below an enormous Alabastan flag of gold and black. But before I can take in any of this, before I can admire the grandeur of the palace interior, I am overwhelmed by just how cool it is inside compared with the desert heat. Removing my headscarf, it feels wonderful on my scalp. I get so lost in the feeling that I entirely forget the danger I might be in for a moment. "Miss Sinagra?" Comes the voice of the king, bolstered by the acoustics of the hall.

I falter for a moment, snapped back to reality, then ready my wits about me once again. "Yes?" I answer.

"I think you'll find the halls of my palace free of the sand that plagues your eyes and gills. You have free leave of the baths if you wish to wash it out." He says.

_Eh? Is he for real? Or_…_ is this just a ploy to butter me up? _"I… thank you, your highness," I find myself subconsciously trying to rid myself of my accent, unsure of whether it's a good or bad thing, "but… how did you know?"

"I have had visitors from the Storm before." He explains. "I know it is a troublesome menace for you."

I think for a moment on the matter. _I can't refuse his offer – that'd instantly give away that I'm on to 'em. But I can't be too cautious neither. _"Thank you." I repeat. He orders one of his guards to show me the way there. I take one last look at the king, praying once more that this isn't all a trap, before I turn my back to him and follow the guardsman out of the hall. We walk down a long corridor with large glass windows on one wall overlooking a garden, and doors leading to who knows where on the other. We make a couple turns, one right, away from the windows, and two left, into narrower passages. I remember every step of the way should I need to make a quick escape. The guard is in front of me as we walk – a daring move. _Ain't afraid? Maybe the king ordered him to do this? To lure me into feelin' safe?_

"The bathhouse is in here." Says the guard, motioning to a set of wooden double doors. I can feel moisture and heat seething out from underneath the cracks onto my toes. "Women's is on the right." He stays there for a moment, watching to see what I'll do, until my staring back gets to him, and he leaves the area. Still unnerved, I open one of the double doors and venture in. The warm, damp sauna air feels fantastic on my dried, scratched, bruised skin. I scan the area for a moment. A small hallway, with two doors leading off in either direction, on them in an Alabastan hand is carved "men" and "women". Living up in the mountains in an isolated community for most of my life, it came as a bit of a shock to me when I discovered just how much more the rest of the world splits things in two according to gender. The first time I saw segregated restrooms, on a trip to Wighburton, I nearly burst into laughter at the absurdity But it was a custom I quickly became used to seeing, so here in the bathhouse of the Alabastan royals, I don't even pay mind to the oddity.

Through the door is a vacant room to change before entering the bath. Cautious, perhaps even paranoid, I look about the room to make sure it's all clear. _No traps, no Den Den Mushis… it seems safe… Oh, damn it, Aki! Quit being a baby! If they burst in, then you just gonna hafta kick their asses naked. Deal with it._ I take the cloth band off, and wipe my eyes with my knuckles, then blink several times and enjoy the moisture in the air. Towels are hanging up on a rack so I grab the largest one, slip off my clothes, and then wrap the towel around me and sneak into the bath. Peeking in it looks empty, just like the king said it would be. The room reminds me of the hot spring at the dojo, like they were trying to model it off it or something. A large pool of steamy water commands most of the room, tile bathroom flooring before it and a huge rock formation behind it, taking up about a quarter of the space. The wall to my left does not extend all the way to the ceiling, instead showing a glimpse at what I assume to be the mens' half. There's no noise coming from that side. _All clear… I hope. _Trying to free myself of worries, I slip off the towel and slide right in.

The hot water does instant wonders to my all aching joints and muscles. It's been so long since I've had a good soak in a tub, not since before Thriller Bark, when I last was aboard the Thousand Sunny. It's been such a mess of events since then, I can't help but lose myself in the moment and relax. I try breathing the water, thinking to sink down to the bottom for a bit, but they've got some solution in it to keep the water clean that stings the inside of my gills. _No matter._ Resting with just my head above the surface is soothing enough. I close my eyes without realizing, and drift off into a state where time loses its meaning, and thought slowly melts away, until…

Someone screams. A shrill, high-pitched shriek of a woman wrestles me back to reality, and a voiced gasp fleets out from me as well. "What are you doing here!?" She yells, in a fearful, but demanding, authoritative voice. _Damn, I let 'em get the jump on me! This is it! They're startin' their attack! _I stand up quickly, splashing water everywhere, then rub my eyes and seek out her figure through the hazy bathhouse steam. As soon as I do however, my defense, my attentiveness to the situation instantly wanes. Before me a figure of incredibly loveliness stands – a girl in her later teenage years with hair the color of a pristine blue sky, with such a soft, innocent face; a perfect frame clad in nothing but a towel barely masking those beauties of womanhood!

"Madam!" I exclaim, and walk through the pool to her direction. "I am nothin'! Nothin' before your incredible beauty! Ah, truly flowers **can** bloom in the desert!" Her face turns to slight confusion. "Mind me not, Madam. I am but a guest here at this palace, invited by none other than… Wait! That's right!" Remembering why I am here, I curse myself for almost letting the passion of the moment deter me from my situation. "This is all some trick!" Her confusion only increases. "A ploy set up by that dastardly king to seduce me with one a' his concubines! Well, I ain't fallin' for it, you-"

"Concubine!?" The girl yells, a fury alight in her eyes. "See here, you… you whoever you are! I am the Crown Princess of Alabasta, not some… some… I don't even want to say the word!"

"P-p-p-princess!?" I gasp, with difficulty sputtering out the word. _Is she tellin' the truth!? She's really a… a princess!? Never did I think I would ever meet a… But wait! _"Y-You mean to tell me… that he would… send his own daughter!?"

She screams a sound of anger so loud and frightening, I'm forced backwards a couple of steps, slip, and fall backwards, knocking the back of my skull directly on the side of the large rock formation in the bathhouse. My head is all stars and sparkles for a flash, until the blackness overtakes it, and I can't recall a thing of what just happened, save for one last vision of beauty and indignation, in the form of a young princess.


	57. Chapter 57

**Fifty Seven – A Difficult Decision! Troubling News from Abroad**

I awake to the ringing of evening bells. There is no period of confusion, of blurred thoughts, of What happened?'s and What am I doing?'s – I get up, swiftly and hurried, and discover (to my amazement) that I'm not in a dungeon. I'm in an infirmary… I think. There are several one-person beds arranged in two rows with an aisle in between. Milk-white sheets are draped over each of them, as is one over me. I throw it off and stand up, leaving the bed, then look out the window to a picturesque view of the city's main plaza. _I'm still in the royal palace. _The back of my head throbs a bit and is cold and swollen to the touch; I look back to the bed to find it was lying on a bag full of ice, partially melted.

"Oh, you're up!" comes a voice. Within a second of hearing it, I spring into action and ready myself for a fight. But who appears is not a guardsman or guardswoman or anyone who looks like they could even throw a punch. A skinny old man in a humble teal robe instead walks in. His beard is grey and long, but atop his head there isn't a hair to be seen. He notices me looking defensive, hostile. "What's all this then? Why so angry?"

"You a doctor!? What'd you do to me!?" I spit, ignoring his question entirely.

" 'Do to you'? Whatever do you mean?" He says his sentences rapidly, while adjusting his glasses with one hand and stroking his beard with the other.

I can't tell if he's serious or continuing the charade. I decide to test him. "What, you sayin' you helped me? Why? You work under the king, right? Why would he wanna help me?"

The old man shrugs. "Not for me to know, or to say. How's the back of your head feel? Bump still there?"

"A bit, yeah. It's- wait! I ain't through with you yet! Or… no! That ain't what I mean!" I'm all confused now – I've lost track of what's going on. "Let me speak with him! With King Cobra!" _I'll confront him myself about this!_

"That's quite a demand to make, young lady." He fidgets with his glasses again. "But you will see him anyway. He wanted to see you as soon as you were awake."

_Fine, then. I can wait. I'm keepin' my eye on you though, old timer._ "How long was I out?" I ask.

"Oh, not too long. Twenty minutes, maybe?" I can't discern if he's telling the truth or not, but it matters little at this point. All I can do is wait.

And I'm not waiting long. Within little time the king's frame passes through the entrance to the infirmary. I keep my muscles still, calm, but that does not prevent a slight scowl appearing on my face. Behind him follows the blue-haired princess (fully clothed this time of course), garbed in a rich silk gown of coconut milk-white. She returns the tiny scowl in place of her father. However, neither of us can find words to back up our anger, so the king speaks for us. "You said your name was Sinagra, miss?" He asks, clarifying it yet again.

My brow raises, wiping away my scowl for just a moment. "That's right." I reply. "Didn't I tell you my name already?" The doctor makes a small, audible gasp, no doubt in response to me being so disrespectful towards his king. The king notices, and wishes the doctor to leave the room.

The old man obeys, and once he is gone the king answers. "You did. I just… had to clarify for myself."

"What's so special 'bout it? You heard it before somewhere?" I ask.

Cobra's statue-like face trembles for a moment. He diverts his eyes to the ground and curls his lower lip into his teeth. "Yes, I…" He swallows his apprehension and stands tall, looking me in the eye. "I knew your parents."

My heart skips a beat. "You… you did!?" I exclaim. An excitement begins to well up inside me. "How? Ike and Mia, right? Not some other Sinagras?"

"Yes, it was them. They worked with me once… you could say."

All the anger that was bottled up in me is gone, vanished. _I can't believe it! He actually knew my parents! That's why he's been so nice me! And here I was thinkin' he had ill intent. Aki, you are way too paranoid. _I am about to ask just what he means by 'worked with me', but the princess speaks first. "Did this happen at one of the Reveries? I don't remember us ever working with Ryugu, father."

The look in her father the king's face grows a level more worried, uneased by the situation. His eyes dart around the room and his fingers shake ever so slightly. "No, it's… The Sinagras are human, it wasn't Ryugu." He says, but his voice trails off to a mere murmur by the end. An eerie silence pervades the atmosphere for a moment, the king's voice absent, his daughter and I both looking towards him to continue on. "Whatever happened to them? Your… mother and father, I mean. Ike and Mia Sinagra?" He says their names like they are hard to pronounce, even though he can speak the sounds easily.

I let out a small sigh through my nostrils. "They died."

"Ah… I see. I'm sorry to hear that."

I shake my head from side to side. "It's alright; it's been a long time since it happened. I ain't shaken by it no more." _I say that, but I wonder if it's the honest truth._

"That's… that's good." A brief pause. "If you don't mind me asking, Miss Sinagra, might I ask how they died?"

I'm surprised, not because of the effrontery of the question, but at just how polite he's being. _He's a king! Ain't kings supposed to be a bit more… kingly? Pompous maybe? _"N-no! No, Your Majesty, I don't mind you askin'. You sound like you knew 'em well. You oughta know." His gaze diverts to the floor again. _Though I can't imagine how my humble folks knew a king, of all peoples. _"It was twelve years ago, when the town we was living in was raided by pirates and burned to the ground. Only people I knew that made it out was me and another kid."

"Pirates?" the princess repeated.

"Fishfolk pirates." I add. At this, Cobra's eyes go wide, his mouth becomes agape, emitting heavy, shaken breaths.

His daughter grows concerned. "Father?" She gasps. "Are you alright? What happened?" She turns to me. "What did you do? What did you say?"

I'm just as confused. "I-I don't know what I did, Madam Princess!" I assure her.

The king puts a fist to his forehead, then opens it up, spreading his hand over his fearful face. "Oh gods… he…!" He says under his breath, in a voice so frightened it's almost a cry. "That madman! He won't stop at anything!"

_'He'…? _"Your highness!" I exclaim. "Who? Who d'you mean?"

With a quick, powerful inhalation of breath, the king raises himself straight and regains what of his composure he can. "No! No, I cannot say-"

I am not so willing to let the subject drop. "But… sir! Please! You gotta tell me!"

The princess agrees with me. "I want to know too!"

The king sighs, then takes in one more large breath. "I'm sorry, but… I truly cannot. I…" His eyes dart to his daughter, and then to me, and then back to the ground. "I like to think I am a good king." He says. "I like to think everything I have done has been for the good of Alabasta, as well as the world beyond and all its people, but... I have made… I too have done cruel things during my reign. Things that have haunted me, have left a spectre of guilt in my shadow ever since, for years after!" I haven't a clue what he could be talking about, or what brought about this change in demeanor, and though I want to know, I keep silent. "I am sorry. I swore I would never speak again of what occurred on that day, so long ago in my early years as king. This… may make me a coward, but it is the only way my conscience can be appeased. What I did…"

"But father, what **did** you do?" His daughter asks.

"He ain't gonna say." I say, in a long-drawn out sigh.

"But… you want to know too, don't you? You must!"

"Course I do. But your dad said he ain't sayin', so he ain't sayin'." Cobra doesn't speak a word, but I can tell he thanks me. With another sigh, I sit back down on the bed. Nearby is a newspaper. I grab it and casually open it up. "Guess I ain't got much reason to stick around here no more, what with- Whoa!" My attention is taken away instantly by the newspaper's front page article: 'Straw Hat Luffy Returns to Scene of Epic Marineford Battle!' On the front page is a large black-and-white photograph of Monkey, his eyes closed calmly, his hat in his hand by his chest, looking extremely roughed up, covered in bandages. On on arm is a mark, perhaps a tattoo, that I had not seen before. '3D2Y' it says, with the '3D' scratched out. I think little of it.

"What is it?" The princess asks, and comes to take a look at the paper. She gasps. "Luffy!"

"You know him, Madam Princess?"

She nods. "It was several months ago, but it seems like just the other day we were traveling together."

Her father sounds glad to have the topic of conversation changed. "Alabasta is forever indebted to him, though we may not admit it publicly."_That's right, they mentioned that once upon a time. _I look back at the newspaper and scan through the article. _'Returned back to… death of Whitebeard and Portgas… One Piece is real… accompanied by-'_ My eyes stop instantly, like a reflex, and will not move. In a much smaller picture is a face I'd never forget.

"Jinbei…" My voice is no more than a faint breath. There in the photograph is one of the three leaders of the Sun Pirates. He has aged, but he is still the same face Natsu, Haru, and I laid eyes on in his wanted poster a year ago. All my muscles clench in anger - my hands ball into fists and begin to crumple the newspaper, my teeth grit against each other, and my eyes sear holes into the gray photograph their gaze is so intense.

The king and the princess notice right away, of course. "Miss Sinagra?" Cobra asks. "Are you not feeling well?"

I unashamedly thrust the newspaper in front of her, showing the picture. "Where is Marineford!?" I shout. "How do I get there?"

The princess responds in a confused voice, after exchanging glances with her father. "Are you serious?"

"Do I look like I'm foolin' around!?" I yell, anger seeping out.

"Now hold on! See here!" The king exclaims. "I won't have you speaking to my daughter in that matter!" He catches me off-guard. I hadn't seen this man angry before. I suppose I hadn't thought he could be, what with the passiveness he'd displayed towards me thus far. The princess also looks a tad shocked, as though her father so roiled is a rare thing for her eyes as well. I shrink back in manner a bit, acknowledging his authority as king. "In my home we speak with dignity. Now why is it you suddenly wish to know about Marineford, Miss Sinagra?"

I take a deep breath to help soothe my temper before responding. "This man, Jinbei." I say, pulling the newspaper back to me and pointing at the fishman's photograph.

The king's expression turns to surprise. "The Shichibukai?"

"Yes, him! I gotta find him!"

Cobra rubs his chin underneath his beard. In his eyes for a moment I can see the same look that everyone has when looking into the past at times they'd rather forget, a look of sorrow, and of regret. His response, when it comes, is plain. "Why?"

I hesitate a moment, unsure if revealing my intent is the best thing to do. "I've… I've been lookin' for him for years now!" I say.

"Then certainly you are not in **that** much of a hurry, are you?"

"Well- no, but I…" _Damn it Aki, you're losin' 'em! _"He's the one who killed my parents!" I exclaim, in a voice much louder than I normally would have used. My palms sweat, my cheeks flush, and the room goes silent, the king and the princess both staring at me with looks of utter confusion and astonishment.

"You're serious, Miss Sinagra?" Cobra asks. "It was the Sun Pirates' doing?"

"That's right." I respond. I see what looks almost like relief in the aging king. "I… I gotta see my revenge on him!" I say with as much confidence as I can muster.

It is not enough for the princess, however. "Wait, wait, wait!" she exclaims. "You can't be serious!"

"Madam Princess? What d'you mean?"

"Jinbei is one of the seven Warlords of the Sea!"

"Yes… and?"

"I understand wanting revenge, but… the Shichibukai are incredibly strong!"

"Strong or not, It don't matter."

"But…!"

Cobra interjects. "What my daughter means is it's a fool's endeavor. You caught the beginning of my speech earlier; surely you have heard of all that Crocodile did to us. He too was a Shichibukai, and for the longest time he was considered Alabasta's greatest champion. He was virtually untouchable. I have never met Jinbei personally, but if he is as powerful as the man who nearly destroyed my country, then I would fear greatly for your life, Miss Sinagra."

"I know it's dangerous, I know! I know I'm putting my life in harm's way! But it ain't just my parents. My master, my friends, everyone I ever held dear to me! I ain't got a choice! I gotta kill the man, or I'll never be free from my obligation to 'em!"

"Then what if you die?" The princess strikes back with. "What if you face off against your adversary and he is victorious? How will you face the dead knowing you failed to avenge them!?"

A voice enters my head, into my mind's ear. It is my own. _"Then what if you die?"_ it says. _"What if Monkey kills you in this duel? There ain't gonna be no 'brave man of the sea'! Just a dead loser of a pirate nobody remembers!"_ I grit my teeth in frustration. I know they're right, but bringing myself to admit it is just so hard. "But… I trained my whole life for-"

"Then what's another few years?" The princess's voice has lowered. "Patience wins wars, not bravado."

I've lost, and I know it. I glance back at the newspaper, at Jinbei's stalwart expression, then up at the larger picture of Monkey. _The mark on his arm…_ '_3D__2Y'… I see. Almost a sign then, ain't it?_ "I understand." I finally say, and with some hesitation, add an awkward "And thank you… for your concern. I'll do as you say, Madam Princess. I won't fight him just yet." _Two years, huh Monkey? Alright, I'll play your game. Your murderous friends got until then to say their prayers._


	58. Chapter 58

**Fifty Eight – A Promise to a Friend! The Grand Plan is Set**

"I'm glad you decided to not go just yet." The princess says. After our argument in the infirmary, the king left to resume his kingly duties, and the princess and I were left alone to do as we pleased in the meantime. Both of us sick of the doctor's office environment, she decided to show me around the palace. I gladly accepted the offer. "My name is Vivi, by the way." She says as we are somewhere on the fourth floor of the palace. "Yours is… Aki, correct?"

My attention, having been pulled away for a moment, returns to her. "…Hm? My name? Yes, yes it's Aki Sinagra, Madam. Though, just 'Aki' is fine. Sorry, I was just lookin' at…" My voice trails off for a moment. "Ya'll really got a beautiful place here." I admire. Even though we are merely in one of the palace's numerous hallways, everything is beautiful. Many lighted chandeliers hang from the ceiling, a lavish rug rests on the floor, and every door frame has ornate designs carved into it.

Vivi smiles as we reach the end of the hallway, to a set of auburn double doors. "If you're impressed by this, wait until you see the view!" She says as she pushes the doors open, revealing an overwhelming sight. The entire city of Alubarna is laid before us, until beyond that the orange desert stretches ever onwards to the horizon. And above that the perfect blue sky, not a cloud anywhere to be seen.

As beautiful as it is, I quickly remember, this time before it's too late, and shut my eyes closed tight, quickly pulling them away from the outside. My princess escort is confused. "Is something wrong?" She asks. I briefly explain the situation to her, and she easily pieces it together. Closing the doors so I may open my eyes again, she recalls something. "The fishfolk of Ryugu don't seem to have too much of an issue with the sands here, but I do seem to remember an envoy from the Storm Kingdom coming here many years ago who had the same problem.

I let out a sigh, and turn away from the blue-haired princess. "That's where they tell me I'm from, but…"

"But…?"

"But I ain't never been there."

"Is that so?" Vivi says. I turn back to look her way again, and she's got a hand to her chin in thought. "Well, does it really matter?"

"Guess not. Do you know much about it, Madam Princess?" I ask.

"Only that it's the largest military force in the New World. Because of the Storm Kingdom and the Yonko-"

"Yonko?"

"The Four Pirate Lords. Because of them, the World Government can barely set a foot in the New World. Also, though it's ruled by fishfolk and merfolk, it's apparently an egalitarian… if militaristic… nation. All are welcome, as long as you're not a Devil's Fruit user."

_I think I remember Keimi mentioning that. That's an queer thing to discriminate against. _"Any idea why that is, Madam Princess?"

"Not a clue. And could you stop calling me that?"

I find myself in a blush. The hallway is quiet for a moment. She looks in thought, and I can't find my tongue to say anything. "I bet my father would know more about the Storm Kingdom."

"I wouldn't be surprised. But I ain't gonna pressure him about it." I answer.

"Because you want to be considerate?"

"Because he's a king!"

"I still think you should get him to spill the beans." She mumbles.

"I-I don't think… there ain't no way I could do that, Mada- I mean... Vivi. I just ain't used to speakin' with royalty is all… I guess."

"And that includes me?"

I stammer for a moment before replying with an ashamed nod. "Sorry, Madam."

She half-sighs. "I just want to have a casual conversation for once, is that so much to ask?" Vivi looks up at the ceiling and asks. "Here, try this then, to overcome your fear." My mind winces at the word 'fear'. "Pretend you're royalty also, of some distant land, and we're on equal terms. How's that?"

Her words catch me off-guard entirely. "Madam Vivi, there ain't no way in hell…"

"Oh, just try, princess!"

"Oh, no no no **NO**! I just went across the whole dang desert with this asshole who kept calling me that! Anythin' but that!"

"Queen then. Queen of the Storm Kingdom! How's that sound?"

_It makes that waitress job at Shakky's look not so bad no more is what it does._ Understanding I won't get away from here without a show, I let out a large sigh, then close my eyes and ready myself for what'll surely be an attempt beyond pathetic at the role. Opening them again wide, I put an awkward look of regality on my face, stick my index finger out in front of me, and exclaim in a bad Mariejoian accent "Let ze peasants eat cake!"

Vivi bursts into hysterical laughter (not that I can blame her), which of course kills my concentration and makes my cheeks burst a vibrant fuschia in humiliation. Burying my head in my palms I yell "Quit laughin'! I done said I couldn't do this, Madam!" She only continues. "That's it, I'm done! Where's the guards' training hall? I need to beat somethin' up now."

The princess calms herself, as well as trying to calm me, and begins to lead me back through the palace. Down two flights of stairs we go, then outside to the opposite side of the massive garden behind the palace, where the training hall stands. Before we step back out under the blinding blue sky, Vivi and I chat for a bit. The Straw Hats are brought up. She too sailed with them for a time. It was from around the time I was thrown off the smoking Marine captain's ship, up until before I met the Straw Hats at Mock Town. She was even with them on Drum Island when I was confined to the doctor's office; we apparently only just missed meeting each other then. This was all before the Shichibukai Crocodile was defeated. She had infiltrated his organization of assassins, Baroque Works, and become one of their top-ranked members, up until her identity was exposed, and the Straw Hats, as always, gladly offered their assistance in helping her regain her country.

Instead of assuming (like everyone does with me), I ask her if she ever considered herself a member of the Straw Hat crew, if she still does. We both stand in front of the grand doors leading out into the garden for a short time, I waiting to see if she will respond, but she does not have an answer to my question. Remembering then that walking outside would be a problem for me, I reach into a pocket to see if my cloth headband is still where I left it, and luckily it is. Wrapping it around my eyes is signal enough to her that the topic is dropped, and the two of us enter out into the garden.

The garden is teeming with fauna, which keeps the desert heat from being too harsh here, instead a wonderful temperature somewhere in between warm and hot. The two of us walk through the plantlife at a leisurely pace, mostly quiet, I admiring the scenery. When we reach the opposite side, the training hall comes into view.

"**That's** where your guards train?" I ask. I thought it would stick out like a sore thumb in place like this, but it's just as picturesque as the rest of the garden, a lovely building of white stone, with various ivies draped along the walls. In the center is an archway with thin wooden lattice doors.

I make way to Vivi to enter first, but she insists the opposite. "You're the one who wanted to come here, weren't you?" _I don't think you realize just how awkward you're makin' this, Madam Princess. Normal folk like me can't help but clam up in front a' royalty._ Regardless of my hesitation, I push open the lattice doors and enter, and am greeted with a moderately large hall. Removing the headband and stuffing it back into my pocket, I take a look around to find a number of men and a couple women are training here and there with various weapons, mostly swords and spears, against straw men, or invisible assailants in the air. A couple are sparring each other with wooden weapons. The environment is very heated, so much that it's actually hotter in here than it was outside. My entrance turns a few heads, but it is Princess Vivi's that stops everything and demands attention. All the people training instantly stop what they are doing, drop or sheath their weapons, and give a military salute. Vivi puts them at ease. I can tell by the look she gives them that she really does wish everyone wouldn't be so formal around her. _I'll try, but I ain't promisin' nothin', princess._

"Your highness," a tall, tan, stately looking man addresses, "what brings you here today?" He shoots me a slightly admonishing glance as he walks towards the two of us.

Vivi holds her hands up as if to display me. "My friend here was interested in coming here."

Another glance my way. "I never knew you had fishfolk acquaintances."

My turn to speak. "I ain't known the princess for too long. And I'm fine now… really, Mada-"

Vivi breaks in. "Chaka, she's a guest of mine and my father's." The man's apprehensive look vanishes. Instead, now he looks at me with an awkward reverence. "My apologies, milady." He says. "If it's a quick lesson in the martial arts you are looking for, I'm sure someone here would be happy to oblige."

I nearly laugh. But a sly thought finds its way into me, and my mischievous side decides to play with it. "I'd greatly appreciate that, sir!" I say. He shows over me to a part of the hall vacant of anyone training. Vivi follows, I suppose to watch. _I can't wait to see the look on this fella's face when I beat the tar outta him! _The way he instantly assumed I hadn't a shred of strength in me, it irks me terribly. It was almost as if Vivi's princess charade from earlier had spread into this man.

"Chaka was your name?" I ask him out of etiquette as I take off my sandals and throw them to the side before entering the painted square on the ground.

"It is. May I ask yours?"

"Aki." I reply. I refrain from saying my last name. _The king knew it, this fella might too._

"Pleased to meet you, Aki." He says, courteously. "Well, let's start simple, shall we? Come at me anyway you want, like you think an attacker would, and I'll show you how to defend yourself.

I grin. _You asked for it, buddy! _Wasting no time, I drop into a stance, then charge like a tiger. In two broad steps I'm already at his feet, and have a fist pulled back low, ready to plunge forward directly into his gut. But this Chaka is no amateur either. The half-second it took me to approach him was long enough for his muscle memory to kick in and ready and hand to block, pushing the punch downwards while rotating to the side. I won't let him win so easily, though. Diving down, I spin around and throw my other fist around at his side. He isn't quite as quick this time; my knuckles graze his hip. Before I fall to the ground, I catch myself with my tentacles and flip back onto my feet, landing a couple paces away from my opponent.

Chaka has entirely analyzed the situation by now. "I mistook you." He says, readying himself in a better position to defend himself this time.

"Damn right you did." I respond, a little spiteful.

"I suppose that is only to be expected. You fishfolk are natural-born fighters, aren't you?"

"Yeah, we are."

"Well then, this will be an excellent opportunity to test a skill I've been training." He says.

"Bring it on." I laugh. I glance at the rest of the room. Our brief brawl has captured the attention of everyone else in the room. I look back at Chaka, and he's calmed himself. He closes his eyes for a moment, and takes two deep, controlled breaths. _This oughta be interestin'. _His eyes then open, the simple stately look they once had replaced with one deadly serious.

"Come. Again."

_Whatever you want, fella. _We begin to circle around each other, slowly closing the distance between us. _His defense looks as solid as mine. Breakin' it might be a challenge. Especially since I ain't got the slip on him no more._ I look over his stance. _I'm a foot taller than him, why ain't he keepin' his arms up higher? Is he tryin' to goad me into an overhead attack? That what he got planned? _My eyes are on the crossroads of his frame, directly between the collarbones, where I always default to looking at in a fight, but his – his warrior eyes are directly fixated on mine, unwavering. _Well, might as well take the bait and see what his game is._ With a quick charge towards him I bring the edge of my hand down between his neck and his shoulder in an arc, but he is ready with a counter, just as I expected him to. He forms his hand similarly, and begins to bring it up, meaning to connect with mine. _But he's too slow, he ain't gonna reach it in time!_

But he does. I feel the impact of the edge of his hand directly against my wrist, and with a force so tremendous, were I human the bones surely would be shattered. I let out a quick yell, and instantly bring myself back, away from my opponent. A couple cheers of approval come from the soldiers in the hall, while Vivi gives a bit of a cringe on my behalf. I bring my wrist in to try and rub the pain out of it with a tentacle, but it smarts too badly to ease. "How'd you do that!?" I demand to know. "I saw our arms, they didn't connect!"

I don't expect him to answer, to reveal his secret, but he responds. "It seems you could use a lesson after all. That was haki." He answers. "To put it simply, it is something like one's own willpower solidified into energy, into a force to be controlled. But then again, it is not entirely understood."

"Haki…?" I repeat the word in a nearly voiceless breath. _I've heard that word before somewhere… Wait. Is that I used in my fight against Monkey? And the fella with the broad axe? And what Master used as well? _"Can anyone use it?" I ask.

"Yes, anyone. Though some excel in it greater than others."

_If I could learn how to harness it, then surely… surely I'd be a match for Jinbei then!_ I summon my humility and ask him. "Could you… teach me how to use it?"

His brow raises. "It is not something one simply learns overnight…" He tells me.

"I imagine. But I've got…" I glance towards Vivi "…two years ahead a' me. Time ain't an issue. And I've used it once before… I'm pretty sure – I just had no clue what it was I was doin' then."

He contemplates my request for a moment. The training hall is eerily absent of noise, everyone waiting for his response. He turns to Vivi. "Your highness, is this woman telling the truth? Is she to be staying here for two years?"

_Hey now, I never said that!_ The princess's answer is surprisingly quick. "I don't see why not."

"Very well, then." Chaka replies, turning back to me. "I have only recently learned how to control this power, but I will do what I can, when I can, to help you learn control over yours as well, Aki." I try and hide it, but a smile sprouts onto my face. It's seemed like ages since I was last training new skills; it's been something I've missed terribly. To begin again, to learn a grand new power brings a child-like joy into me I haven't felt in some time. I gladly thank him for his offer, and ready myself for what will surely be an interesting episode in my life.

* * *

Chaka, along with another man by the name of Pell, serves as the second in command of the Alabastan royal guard, which explains why the man's skills in fighting are what they are. The captain of the royal guard's name is Igaram, and it is him who I meet next, along with another face, this one familiar.

"Larson? You're still here?" I remark, after he and Igaram enter the training hall not long after Chaka and I have finished our fight, and all the other guards have returned to whatever it is they were doing before Vivi and I interrupted them with our presence. Igaram immediately moves to another room to speak with Chaka about something.

"Forgot about me already?" He snaps. _Actually, yeah I did._ "I should've known I'd find you here, you roughneck."

Ignoring his pestering as usual, I ask him a question. "I thought nothing'd make you happier than gettin' me outta your hair. What's keepin' you here?"

"The whole reason I came to the capital in the first place – or did you forget, fish? I had a letter to deliver to Captain Igaram."

"That fella with the hair?" I ask. He really was a comical sight when I saw the man walk through the door; a tall, rectangular frame, with long skinny legs and a large belly. But his hair – long and blonde, greased firmly to either side where it then forms into three gigantic curls along his each of his broad shoulders – I'm still not sure if it actually is hair, or if he's wearing a number of very large pastries. I certainly can't see him being much of a fighter. "So why're you still stickin' around if the job's done?"

"I might ask you the same thing. His highness doesn't seem too interested in you anymore. Misunderstanding?"

I pause for a moment before answering. "Somethin' like that."

Larson shrugs, in his typical passive-aggressive manner. "Dunno what you did, princess, but man…"

"Larson. Seriously… quit callin' me that." _God, I ain't the prayin' type, but you'd fix it so I never remember that embarrassment again, I might just change my mind…_ I decide to change the subject. "Hey. You wanted to know why I'm still here."

"Igaram and I heard talk of the **actual** princess chatting with, quote, 'a big, ugly fish thing'. So you gettin' buddy-buddy with royalty now? Got some gall, fish, I'll give you that."

"Pssh. It ain't that." I sit down in on a nearby stool far too short for someone of my height, my legs stretched out in front of me. I gaze out in front of me, down at my ankles, bare and scratched, and out to my toes. "You check the newspaper today?"

"I read the front page article, yeah." Larson responds. "That guy, Straw Hat Luffy, he's the one you sailed with, right?"

I nod. "Did you notice the one with him? The fishman?"

"The Shichibukai, right? Junpei or something?"

"Jinbei." I correct. Our eyes meet. "He's one of 'em."

"One of…?"

"The ones who destroyed our home."

His eyes go wide. Reaching for a place to sit down, he joins me on the stool next to mine. "You're serious?" He finally turns his gaze from me, and buries his chin in a hand. "It's a Shichibukai…?"

"That's why I'm here. I ain't ready to fight him yet, but I'm gonna be trainin' with these fellas for two years. Larson!" I exclaim. "You should do the same! Together we can take him down for sure!"

My voice is replaced by the sounds of mock combat throughout the hall as Larson continues to think. Almost half a minute I wait, until an answer comes. "I'm sorry." Larson finally says, for the first time in his voice the sound of sincerity.

" 'Sorry'? What d'you…?"

"A Shichibukai… I don't know…"

"You ain't scared of him, surely?" I turn to him and grab his shoulders, breaking him out of his small trance. "Larson, this is **your** revenge too, ain't it!?"

Just as soon as our eyes met, they leave each other again. "It's not… I'm not…" he stutters. I can see and understand the difficulty he has in saying this. "I've never been afraid to fight a man… but if I run off with you on an adventure across the world to fight some villain, what would happen to the life I've got now…?"

I let go of him. " 'What you've got'…? I thought…" I lower my voice "I thought you hated this job? You do, don't you?"

He lets out a small, solitary laugh through his nostrils. "I guess so, but… it's **something**, you know? I never really knew before just what it meant to have a place you belong… even if it is just a ruddy, old, broken town in the desert. If I run away, I'll be forsaking all of that."

_I see now._ With a heavy sigh, I say "That's why you helped me. That's why you went to all the effort, even when it weren't in your best interest." He's embarrassed, and I can tell it. Catching him offguard, I pinch his cheek and coo "You want me to do this for you, wittle Larry?"

That shakes him back to normal. Slapping my hand away he grumbles. "Oh, knock it off, will you, princess?" I spit a laugh in response. It even almost spreads to him as well, a small grin. "Yeah. Sure. Find this Jinbei, and find everyone else responsible, and kick their asses for me, alright?"

I stand up. "You bet."


	59. Chapter 59

**Fifty Nine – Overcoming Limitations! A Long Test of Patience**

Two days later, Chaka begins to teach me what he knows of haki. I take those two days to get to know the city better. Aside from being in a desert obviously, it's really not that different at all from Water Seven, the only other major metropolis I've traveled to. The place is lively, noisy, and busy, although I never quite get used to how much it changes at night. Every night, around the nine o'clock hour or so, it's as if the entire city decides to end the day at once, and by ten it's incredibly quiet. It isn't even an official curfew or anything, it's like a collective decision everyone silently agrees on.

I initially had planned to spend those two days scouring the royal library (a suggestion from Princess Vivi) for information on haki, but libraries and me just don't mix. Finding a book among the sea was daunting enough a task, but as soon as I sit down, open it up and start looking at the pages of endless text, my eyes start to spin and I just can't do it. "I learn better though experience." I eventually tell the princess, when she asks me how my studies went. She scolds me with a sigh for that, and the dejection nearly breaks my heart.

However when the two days are past and I enter the training hall, Chaka expects me to have read up a bit. _Already off to a bad start, Aki._ Pell is with him as well. Pell is not as large a man as Chaka, though he is still incredibly well built. He is much paler than his darker-skinned partner, with purple markings on his face that fall like two streams of tears from either eye. Both of them, I find, are Devil's Fruit users. Their fruits are of the same class as Tony Tony's and the bullman's I fought with on Drum Island: they allow each to assume a half-animal, half-human form. Chaka's is of a jackal and Pell's of a hawk. '"Well that's fine, I suppose." Pell says in regards to not reading up beforehand. "Many learn it naturally; I first used it during the civil war, in a moment that would have claimed my life had I not. The spur of the moment is when it usually finds its way to an individual."

"You said you've used haki before, right?" Chaka asks. "When did it happen?"

I think back. _I used it in my fight with Luffy, but it was during that meditation just before the Aqua Laguna that I first did it. I don't think I ever had it before then…_ "It was durin' meditation." I tell him. I think back to the time. "It was like my body was speakin' to me, movin' itself for me so I could do it."

"I see." Chaka thinks for a bit.

"Chaka, could you take care of this?" Pell asks. "I've still got mounds of work with the new recruits to take care of."

"That's fine." He responds. "This won't take long anyway, I'll help you afterwards." Pell thanks him, and leaves us.

"Sorry if I'm bein' a thorn in ya'll's side." I apologize.

"It's no problem, really. It was by Princess Vivi's request." Chaka assures me. "I can't imagine why, but then again – 'Ours is not to question why...' Now then, what was it like when you used haki? What happened?"

I give him a brief description: how my emotions all coalesced into my fists, and I was able to cut straight through the blackness of the meditative trance, and later harm Monkey, who should not have been harmed by my fists.

"That would be armament haki." Says Chaka. "There are three types, though most people only possess one of two of them: observation haki or armament haki. observation is used to predict movement without using the external senses, while armament strengthens the body, providing enhanced attacks. It also allows one to pierce through the natural defenses of Devil's Fruits, as you must know by now."

"I see." I think for a second, then ask "Can I learn how to use both?"

"You could," is his answer, "but that requires a tremendous amount of effort. Most people just stick to the type that comes most naturally to them."

"Alright." _I can sense a presence well enough. I don't need a sixth sense to do it for me._ "So how is it used? Is it like a muscle I gotta train? Or a special way a' thinkin' or somethin'?"

"Well, I can't tell you exactly how it works – nobody knows that," he says, scratching his scalp, "but I can tell you how how you trigger it. Armament haki is used simply by having no doubt whatsoever in your mind that it will be used." A small pause. "Does that make sense?"

"Sorta. I just gotta believe that it'll happen and it'll happen?"

"Not just believe. **Know**. A master of haki once said one must have the assurance of a man walking off a cliff that he will not fall."

"So absolutely no second-guessin' whatsoever…" I say to myself.

"That is why it often comes to people first in life-or-death situations, like it did with Pell, as in the heat of the moment the mind eliminates all doubt to focus on the task at hand. _That makes sense._ "That's your first objective, then."

"Huh? That's it?"

"That's it. Clear your mind of doubt and use haki. It shouldn't be too hard, now that you know a little more about it, right? It took me four months to reach that point from where you are now, let's see if you can beat that."

I learn it in two. It takes a great deal of effort on my part – intense meditation, grueling physical training, putting myself in tremendous danger – but two months and five days after I first learn about haki, I am able to use it on command. It comes to me, just as Chaka said it might, in a spur of the moment decision. As I walk down a street in Alubarna during a hot summer's day, I come across a large metal plate leaning up against a building under construction. I don't know what comes over me, but I decide to punch straight through it without a second thought. And so I do, leaving a fist-shaped hole directly into the thick metal plate, which otherwise should have been impenetrable. I also didn't feel a single bit of pain, from the impact or the tremendous heat of the metal. Realizing what I just did, I punch another hole, and another and another and another, until its as perforated as latticework. The people using it then of course have a fit with me, yelling a number of slurs and obscenities as I flee the scene.

Later that day, when I return to the royal palace's training hall, I request a match to use my newfound ability. Chaka is sick, but Pell is happy to oblige, interested to see if I'm actually telling the truth this time (I had said the same thing a couple weeks ago, but couldn't back up my words). During the entire fight, we clash attacks multiple times, but our limbs never actually touch once.

But still, it isn't enough. It isn't enough to fight a ex-Shichibukai (I learn he lost his title after the battle at Marineford), and certainly not one such as Jinbei who, being a fishman, does not rely on a Devil's Fruit power. Pell suggests something to me. "I've been working on trying to attain the next stage of armament haki in the past few months, but it's much, much trickier than simply attacking with it." He tells me after our fight, over the wall separating the mens' and the womens' sides of the bathhouse.

"Hm? What else can you do with it?"

"Armament haki isn't limited to just strikes. If you're really adept, you can localize it in any part of your body you wish. It's just as defensive as it is offensive; I haven't learned how to control it that well yet, but it can be put into your torso to keep a fatal attack from piercing you, or in your head if someone's about to deal a crushing blow, or even in your internal organs to keep them from rupturing. It really is an amazing power."

_That so? _"You reckon that's what I need to learn to fight Jinbei?"

"It would certainly help. But I doubt you can learn it in the two year timespan you set for yourself."

I laugh. "Hey, your buddy thought the same thing. You watch, I might surprise."

He returns the laugh. "I suppose that confidence is exactly what one needs. So what will you do then? What goal will you aim for?"

I think on it for a moment. _What __**should**__ I do? Keep myself afloat above the palace? Deflect bullets? No…too dangerous. Or s'that what I need? 'All or nothing', Ray? That how you figured it out? Hmm…_ "I have an idea." I finally say. "Ever since I ended up in the desert I ain't been able to keep my eyes uncovered on account a' the sand. Without a big fluffy pair of eyelashes like ya'll got, there ain't nothin' to keep it from gettin' in there."

"I've noticed."

"So I got it then. When I can use haki to keep my eyes open in a sandstorm without a single grain of sand gettin' in there, I'll consider it learned."

The bathhouse is silent for a moment. "A fine goal." Pell answers, before I hear the water sloshing about as he leaves.

* * *

I make the mistake of going straight for the ultimate challenge off the bat. A sandstorm shows up a couple weeks after I set my goal, and I jump straight into it, sitting atop the palace walls with my eyes closed, waiting for it to arrive. When the wind begins to blast, and waves of sand beat against my skin, I say my prayers and open up my eyes.

I end up sightless for two days, as well as suffering a nasty gill infection. Once I'm recovered, I've long since come to the conclusion that perhaps all or nothing isn't the way to go this time. _I oughta learn the basics first. Master easier areas of the body first._ I meditate regularly, hoping for answers, but none come. I'm fine with that, though; I'll wait until my body is ready to tell me its secrets. Spending a lot of time at the training hall, I offer myself up as the resident punching bag. I can't come up with many other ideas on how to train this power, so I decide simply to have the guards and new recruits and what-not wail on me until I can block their attacks without moving a muscle, with haki alone. Pell and Chaka like the idea, so they offer the same thing for their own training. They end up getting most of the fun, as their subordinates don't miss a chance to beat the hell out of their superiors.

And the hell beaten out of us is exactly what we end getting. The three of us all sustain quite a number of injuries over the months, fractures here, internal bleeding there, and always we're covered in bruises; the old, skinny doctor in the palace never has a shortage of reprimanding words for us.

Several months later, in the middle of the cool desert winter, it is Chaka who first deflects a blow, leaving a recruit's hand as pained as if he just punched a stone wall. It shocks Pell and I, it shocks the recruits, it even shocks Chaka. It isn't for another week that any of us can duplicate the result, and it isn't for another month and a half that we are punching bags no more, but statues, impervious to all but the most well-placed, powerful strikes. The three of us come to the same conclusion. "I simply stopped thinking about it." Pell tells some of the more determined recruits who are interested in possibly developing their own haki.

"After I first realized I was doin' it, it was like 'Oh yeah! I'm gettin' punched, ain't I?' " I try to help explain. None of them get it, though I'm not really expecting any to.

As it happens, Larson, along with Kohza and the rest of the people of his Environmental Ministry, comes to the palace not long after. That gives me an idea, to raise the stakes a little bit. Instead of a normal person throwing punches, make it someone who can travel faster than the eye can see, someone whose attack could come anytime and you won't know it. Having no problem whatsoever agreeing to punch the daylights out of a fishwoman, Larson happily agrees, and I suddenly learn just how angry the guy really is. His punches hit hard, and I mean **hard**. It takes a great deal more determination not to be sent flying across the room with the wind knocked out of me every time he disappears, then reappears with a fist in my gut. The most I'm able to achieve before he has to leave is managing to stay standing up, but sliding backwards some distance on the rough chalked floor of the training hall.

During my training as a punching bag, I try from time to time to deflect the sand from my eyes, and find only the slightest bit of success. I can walk from the palace to the training hall without my headband, but if I try and get the full force of the desert wind, it's all too much and I give up, returning to the bathhouse to wash all the itchy stuff out.

When spring arrives however, I decide to be gutsy once again. "Come at me with a sword." I tell a recruit.

He gasps. "M-Ma'am! I can't do that!"

I sigh. "Fine." I raise my voice to the training hall. "Who will, then?"

A guard, a woman, agrees to. _There we go. I bet that recruit's got that "I ain't strikin' a woman mentality. Blech. Makes me sick._ "Tell me when." She says, a stillness in her voice.

"Any time, Madam." The entire hall is watching, but it doesn't bother me. It can't. I don't let anything bother me. _It's just a parlor trick._

She flickers a moment, then lifts the sword up and brings it down to slash across my chest. However, to everyone's amazement, and to my pride, the blade does not cut through warm flesh, but ricochets off, never even making contact.

After that, many more ask if they can have a swing, for whatever reasons, but I decline. "It ain't perfect." I say. "A good swordsman can still break through haki, and I ain't havin' that."

Chaka and Pell never get to that level of confidence and ability. In their defense however, they're a lot busier than I am, and don't have as much time to train, so maybe they'll pick it up later in life. They still have time for a spar or two, though. I even take them while they are armed, in their transformed states. Though I probably could block their weapons as I did the woman's attack, it's so much simpler just to meet their blades with haki-infused strikes, blocking and attacking as I would one unarmed. It works wonderfully with the Mountain Fist style. I remember Haru remarking on how he didn't think my strikes could get any stronger, yet here I am, punching through metal and stone as though it were rice paper.

I even am able to carve through the wind itself. A freak sandstorm arrives in November, late in the year, and carries on for several days. Taking this opportunity, I think of perhaps other ways to shield myself before attempting my ultimate goal. Wearing something to cover up my gills this time, I slice through with blades of haki emanating from my hands, shielding myself from the vicious sands with constant, flowing attacks as it passes over, but still some seeps in and find its way to irritate my eyes. But I do not give up. I press on and on, for hours at a time, into the night, until sleep overtakes me as I fight the storm, and I fall to the ground, waking up later in a pool of sand.

On the fourth day, the last before it is said to leave, a determination I had never before felt in me arises. Without a second thought, without any care to the consequence, I leave the palace, eyes wide open, and walk right into the thick of the blinding storm.

And I feel nothing. No irritation, no pain, nothing but my own weight on the ground, and the clothes dancing on my frame. I walk in gliding steps to the palace walls, the very same place where I first attempted to fight the sandstorm, and begin to climb them. Reaching the top I stand tall and look out upon the dusty orange that has engulfed all of Alubarna. I can see it all. It is as if I am in meditation, in a trance, but I am fully awake.

It is gorgeous to behold. "I have conquered you!" I shout into the endless sands. "I am in control!" The mad winds swarm around me, in swirls and spirals that growl and lash at me like wild animals, but they are powerless. They whimper at my presence. It's such a wonderful feeling that I can't help but laugh. Laugh, and see everything as both conductor and catalyst, as the culmination of it all, for on this day, and on all days onward, mine are the eyes of the storm.


	60. Chapter 60

**Sixty – An Abrupt End? A Ghost Returns to Haunt**

It has been nineteen and a half months since the battle at Sabaody.

A knocking comes at the door to the guest room, after the nighttime twilight has passed. "Aki, it's me, Vivi. Can I come in?"

"You're heir to the country, Madam Princess, you can go wherever you please." I reply, changing out of my dirty, sand-filled clothes.

She takes that as the okay to open the door, but is terribly startled upon seeing my naked frame. "Goodness, Aki! Warn me before hand!"

"Whaaaat?" I exclaim, dragging out the word, then let out a sigh purposefully filled with a feminine tone (or at least the closest I can produce). "You really **do** think a' me as a man, don't you, princess?"

She grumbles. "Oh, not this again… for the last time, I told you, Aki – I'm sorry, but not interested in you in the **least**."

"Oh really?" I say, lowering my voice and adding the tiniest pinch of seductiveness in it. "Then why you sound so embarrassed?"

"Why, you…!" She begins, but merely ends it in a grumble. She never can string together the words to make a proper insult.

I chuckle to myself while grabbing my second set of clothes. "You know, I was readin' up the other day-"

"Reading? You?" Vivi quips.

"Yeah, I know. Wonders never cease. But okay, so I was lookin' for somethin' on the Storm Kingdom right, but instead found myself readin' up on the Revolution'ry Army."

"I know they're working together." She interrupts. "They don't admit anything publicly, but it's clear as day."

"Prob'ly." I say. "Anyhow, one of the top ranked officers a theirs by the name a' Emporio… Iva-somethin'? The fella's got a Devil's Fruit power that lets him mess all around with people's insides. Make 'em forget pain, make 'em strong or change the way they look, even swip-swap their sex from one to the other."

"I think I've heard of this man." Vivi remarks.

"So what if, Madam Princess, I find this fella and have 'em turn me into a charmin' prince for you? Would I be the apple a' your lovely eye then?"

Vivi's reaction is stifled laughter, not quite what I expected. "You… you're joking, right?"

"W-what? I thought it was a pretty good idea!"

"Aki… imagine yourself as a man for one moment." I close my eyes and think on it. It doesn't take long for the thoughts of a burly, lugheaded fishman brute to contort my face into a menagerie of disgusted looks. "See? Told you."

"Fine, fine." I sigh. "You win again, princess. As usual."

She waits for me to get into something, even if it's just a pair of undergarments, before speaking again. "Was that you out in the sandstorm earlier?"

I pause a moment, a little embarrassed. "It was."

"So you've done it?" She asks.

"I have." I answer. "My trainin' here's complete."

"I guess you plan on leaving then, right?"

"I guess so." I fall onto the bed, limbs spread out, eyes aimed at the ceiling. "You sound mighty hesitant to let me go." I grin. "Sure you ain't fallin' for me, princess?"

"You really are tenacious, aren't you?" She groans. My grin grows. "You've still got five months left though, don't you?"

"Until what, the two years? I just set that as an end date."

"But aren't you going to wait for Luffy? I thought you agreed to his timespan so you would meet up with him again afterwards."

I sit up, and scratch the back of my head with a tentacle. "Monkey? Nah, I'm done with that kid." I can see a look of disapproval on Vivi's face. _Sorry, Madam Princess, I just gotta put 'em behind me._ "Course, knowin' my luck I'll run across 'em again at the worst possible time." The princess's eyes do not meet mine. Instead, they are fallen to the floor, deep in reminiscence. I lie back down. "You miss 'em, don't you, Madam?" Her nostalgic trance breaks. _Hit the nail on the head._

Her words come out like drops from a leaking faucet. "I… though so many others were suffering then… the times I spent with the Straw Hats were some of the best of my life. So happy, so carefree and full of life…" She says. I think back to my own travels with them. _I guess she's right. They were some cheerful times… when we wasn't nearly gettin' killed, that is._ "I do sometimes find myself wishing I had chosen then to leave this life and join theirs."

"It ain't too late." I say.

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"I've been thinkin' the past few months. About my own future, I mean." I take a deep breath before continuing. "It ain't somethin' I gave much thought to in the past, but once I tackle Jinbei, all that's left is to squeeze outta him the whereabouts a' his ol' boss, and after I found **him**… that's it. The quest is over. I'll have done what I set out to do twelve years ago. But then what? What do I do then? I been so shackled to this all my life I ain't got a clue what I'll do with myself afterwards." I sit up. "So come with me! Come with me, and I'll gladly find 'em again for you! If I can be the one to help your dream come true, well… that's more than good enough for me!"

I really gave it my all that time, but still it's a wasted effort. "Sorry, Aki." She says, after a warm smile. "But my dream is here, in my homeland."

I lie back down, defeated. "Well, shoot. That was my last resort. There really ain't no hope of us together, is there, princess?"

"Nope." She giggles. It melts my heart.

* * *

The next morning I sleep in, not even leaving the guest room until noon. When I awake, there is a trinket on the end table next to my bed. A bracelet, or perhaps a ring made for a giant's finger, with a glass globe attached to the top, and inside a needle adamantly pointing eastward. I lift the thing to inspect it, revealing a note, written in an elegant hand on expensive stationery. Setting the object down, I pick up the note and read it. "Aki," it reads, "I don't know when you plan on leaving us, but it was wonderful having you. Chaka and Pell, all the recruits, myself, my father, and everyone else here – we all enjoyed your presence. If you're reading this, you've already found my gift to you. It is an Eternal Pose, aligned to the magnetic field of the island of the Storm Kingdom's capital, Orbis Tertius. You may already know this, but it is located in the New World, on the opposite side of the Grand Line, far to the east. I won't ask for it back; instead I only hope it helps you find answers. And if those answers happen to invoke anger towards my father, I do apologize, and I hope you'll forgive him for whatever he may have done to you. As they say, to err is only natural, but to forgive is to be divine." The letter is signed "Nefertari Vivi". I take another look at the Eternal Pose, then let out a long, happy sigh. _Such a sweet gal. Too sweet, for a princess._

The weather in the Grand Line making absolutely no sense at all, the temperature is notably warmer than it was before the storm (notably warmer than it should be this time of year as well) which has King Cobra incredibly preoccupied speaking with officials over what this could mean for the region's agriculture or something or other. All it means to me is I need to dress lighter. I still don't know just what the king did in the past, whether it was to me or to my parents or whomever, that makes him so remorseful thinking about it, but as a result, he's shown me a great deal of hospitality and generosity towards me the time I've been here. A comfortable place to stay, good food, nice clothes – I'm still unused to it all. _But I'll be leavin' all that behind me now. Well, it was nice while it lasted. _Throwing on a black tanktop and a pair of loose capri pants, I grab my waistpouch with my money in it, slip on my sandals and stroll out of the palace without a soul noticing.

The storm made a mess of things, so most of the city is still in the process of cleaning up. I come upon the plaza, all filled with people and their brooms and buckets, sweeping away what they can. At the edges of the plaza are some large machines. Making my way close to one, a city worker explains they're for collecting all the sand the storm blew in and transporting it out.

"To where?" I ask.

"Believe it or not, we sell it. Ship it off to other countries. There are some places out there that never see the stuff, so they need our sand for things like making glass."

_Is that how they make it? _"Neat. Speakin' a' ships, I'm fixin' to purchase me a ride on one in the near future. There a place here in town I can do that or do I gotta make a trip out to Nanohana?"

"No, there's a port authority branch here. That's what you're looking for, right?" I tell him sure, and he gives me directions.

Though with how much of a maze this city is, I inevitably get lost and have to ask again. The first person I try to ask freaks out at the sight of me and runs off, which puts a little damper on my spirit, but the next guy is nice enough to help. "The building's green and there's a big anchor; it's hard to miss." he lets me know.

Still I have trouble finding it. _It should be around here somewhere, I know it!_ Fed up, I decide to simply climb up to the roof of the nearest building to look around. It catches the attention of the people around me, but who cares? I do that naturally. Sure enough, in the distance is a sea-foam green building. _Why didn't I do this earlier? _Delighted, I hop across the rooftops of this block, until I reach the open lane the port authority building looks over. Underneath the fake anchor comically hoisted above the entrance are three marines. As I descend down the side of a house, one of them goes inside as the others wait. I casually approach the sea green structure. They both give me a look for a moment, but I reply kindly with a "Howdy, fellas." Being kind men, not wanting to offend, they return the gesture. I smile and pass by them through the open entrance, ducking my head as I do.

Inside it more spacious than I thought it'd be. Instantly a half-flight of stairs lead down into a tall lobby, with numerous doors leading further into the complex. It's brightly lit, and the unmistakeable smell of raw fish lingers in the air. It's a scent I haven't smelled in some time, and for a moment it brings me back to the sea. _I sure could go for a real swim. Been too long._ There is a counter in the shape of an L with a desk behind it and an irritated old man behind that, sitting on a small stool, tapping his foot. He notices my presence as I slowly descend down the steps, but is too preoccupied arguing with the third marine to care much.

"Captain Hina herself is going to be here in less than a week!" The marine yells, furious. Her voice catches me off guard. Only seeing her from the back, her short-trimmed hair had me assuming she was a man. "So if I don't get these export forms signed and approved **now**, there's going to be hell to pay when she shows up! Do you understand?"

The old man isn't intimidated. "Lady, I don't care if Sengoku himself wants them expediated. "As we are a member of the World Government, you Marines get free roam of our waters whenever you want, but that does not mean the same extends to our trade. There were hundreds of others waiting long before you showed up, so your captain's just going to have to take a number and deal with it. Now if you'll excuse me," He looks past her at me, looking glad to be rid of his Marine problem, "Here's another who wants to get in line. What can I do for you, lady?"

The marine turns as well, and my attention is instantly stolen away. Her lovely face, freckles under big, green eyes, an adorable sight in that Marine's uniform of hers. As I gaze at her, she does the same to me. But there is something else in our stares, something other than a sudden, strong infatuation (in mine, at least). _She looks… familiar._ "Have I… seen you somewhere before, Madam?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing."

"Me? I'm a hard face to forget, like it or not." I say, then lean down towards her. "But enough a' that, Madam. Name's Aki Sinagra. What d'you say about we forget this headache for spell, and I buy us a nice lunch somewhere, hm?" I reach back with a tentacle towards my pouch, and a look of recognition almost immediately forms on her face.

"YOU!" She growls. "You're that bastard from Goldshore!"

I instantly straighten myself up and take a scared step away from her. For a moment, I lose control of my haki. "G-Goldshore…?" I stammer.

"I remember you now!" She continues. "You tried to take pity on me! And then you led the charge that destroyed the entire town! You're a murderer! A genocidal murderer!" In a swift motion filled with anger, she unsheathes her saber and points it at me. "As Petty Officer of the Black Cage Corps, I hereby place you under arrest!"

"Wait! Wait!" I exclaim in desperation. "That was a man, it couldn't a' been me!" I shout, then cover my mouth with my hands, instantly realizing how stupid of a thing that was to say. The sound of heavy boots from the outside alerts me to the presence of the other two marines, arriving on the scene. _Shit! Shit! SHIT! Of all the things to… I just dug my own grave! I ain't bargainin' my way outta this, am I? _I glance from the door to the old man, who is just as on edge as I, to the marines, and back to the door. The woman notices, and makes a go at one of my wrists with her hand to try and restrain me. Startled, my instincts take over, and with lightning quick movements, I block her hand to the side, then strike her in the center of her chest with a palm of haki. She is hurdled backwards from the force of the blow, straight into the old man's counter. I then realize what my reflexes just did. _I'm so sorry, Madam!_

"Officer Kelly!" Her two allies exclaim, then draw their sabers as well and move in to attack. I'm still far too distraught to simply deflect their strikes with a shield of haki, so I am forced to counter with skillful movement alone. The first man goes for the simple vertical attack, and I dodge it, responding by clutching onto the arm he just swung with and heaving him into his friend, who doesn't have the perception to move out of the way in time. With all three marines still dazed, I seize my opportunity to flee, sprinting out of the building and into the light of outside.


	61. Chapter 61

**Sixty One – Reunion! A Hasty Getaway From the Kingdom of Sand**

Though I manage to escape the port authority building and its odor of fish, the marines are still hot on my tail. I can't tell if the woman is still with them – I think I may have knocked her out cold – but I know the two who were with her are still chasing after me through the crowded, narrow, noisy streets of Alubarna.

And they are no longer by themselves. Being the capital of a nation of the World Government, there is no shortage of marines to be found out and about, and in little time, as we make our frantic chase, I can hear more than just two men coming after me. _Just what I need! But the question is whether or not the Alabastans'll help out… I hope I left a good enough impression on 'em that they'll stay on my side! _I dash into a narrow alleyway, and then turning a corner, I come face to face with an incredible crowd, packing a bazaar street tight, far too tight for me to run through. Fortunately for me, my tall frame bursting onto the scene has a few folks frightened, and in only a moment the attention is diverted my way. Instead of blanking out, I use that to my advantage, and charge directly into the crowd with a yell, hoping to frighten the masses into moving out of the way for me.

And it works… almost. People certainly are startled by my appearance, but the crowd is so tightly woven together that there simply isn't anywhere for people to flee too. I do my best to worm my way through everyone, but they're slowing me down tremendously. I look back for a moment. The marines aren't having as much of a problem as I. In fact, they're making ground on me. _Shit, this ain't good!_ Continuing to wedge people out of the way as I squirm through the crowded street, I spy something else doing the same thing, an approaching merchant's cart and with it and idea pops into my head. In my loudest, most commanding voice I yell "MOVE IT!", and stand down low, as though I'm about to attack. This **really** puts the fear of danger into them, and for a moment, enough of a path clears out in front of me that I can get a running start. I begin to sprint through it, directly towards the cart, people diving out of the way of the large fishwoman barreling towards them. The merchant pulling his cart begins to panic (not that I can blame him), but I don't stop. At the last moment he ducks down, covering his head, leaving just enough room for me. I plant one foot down on the incline of the handle, and with the other jump up on top of the cart itself, and from there press forth with all my strength into one mighty leap up into the air. A number of ropes and cables hang over the street , and in that split-second as I am suspended in midair, the entire bazaar watching my stunt, I pray they're strong enough to support my weight.

Fortunately, the rope I just barely manage to reach and grab onto with my front tentacles is hung tightly. I steady myself, then traverse up the rope to the roof of the nearby building it's hung from. Glancing down as I do, I am met with the eyes of several angry marines. _This ain't gonna lose 'em, but it may gimme a chance!_

Once I am atop the sand-brushed roof, I scan the tops of the city to try and find a good place to hide. Everywhere looks the same, so I hop from rooftop to random rooftop, checking back at the streets to see if the marines are still on my tail. About seven roofs in, it looks like I've lost them. Cautiously, I peek over the edge of the rooftop and spy two marines, entirely befuddled. However, it is not a wave of relief that enters me, but dread.

They are speaking with a pair of Alabastan guardsmen.

_No! Don't tell me…! _The guardsmen both give the marines a nod, then the four split up in a hurry, scanning the area. I instantly shrink back out of possible sight, cursing angrily under my breath. _If they got the Alabastans on their side, then that's it – I can't return to the palace! I gotta split this country. Ain't no way once they figure out I caused the complete destruction of an Alabastan town that they'll let me stick around. Oh, please don't hate me for it, Madam Princess! T'weren't my fault, really!_

I contemplate waiting until I have cover of night to escape Alubarna, but with how quiet the capital becomes at night, the Marines would have little trouble in spotting me. _But then again, they won't have a problem now either… No. I can't give 'em time to set up. If I wait, they'll get a watch on every exit… if they don't already. _My decision made, I continue traversing the rooftops, towards the nearest city gate.

When I reach the city's edge, I take a moment to look upon the massive staircase leading down off the plateau and into the desert wasteland beyond. I don't see any Marines, though there are a few Alabastan soldiers, three or five. _Do they know yet? Do I chance it and just walk by 'em, or do I make a break for it?_ I think back to Ray for a moment. _No doubt he'd just kick the shit outta 'em or somethin'. No, I don't need 'all or nothing' this time. Better to try wit first, and see if I can get away with it._ I've never been to the port city of Nanohana, but I know the route there is just a simple road. _Hopefully it ain't crawlin' with marines, or I could be in for a hassle._

Climbing down to the ground level in an out of sight side street nearby, I ready my nerves for a fight, just in case one breaks out. I wait until some other people are leaving as well, a pair riding on camels, before I walk out as casually as I can. The couple notice me. I give a quick "Howdy" as I walk alongside them towards the giant stone staircase, and the guards watching over it.

The guards notice us. Or rather, they notice **me**. "Hey." Come one's voice from under his pot helm.

"Me?" I stammer. The couple on their camels look back for a moment, but continue on.

"Yeah, you. You're that fishwoman who's been training recruits in the royal palace aren't you?" He asks.

"Y-yeah! Yeah, that's me. Were uh… were you there? Sorry if I forgot you, I don't remember everyone."

"No, I finished training long ago. I've heard word of you though. They say a blade won't even give you a scratch."

I give an embarrassed, small laugh. "Well, they say a lot a' things about me; it ain't all true, though." _Remember that part, please!__  
_

He mimics my laugh. "So what're you doing here?" He asks.

"Headin' off to Nanohana. This is the road, right?"

He looks a bit surprised. "What, **walk** there? Are you mad?"

_Maybe._ "Can't afford a camel. I figured I'd just take a break at each town, maybe find someone to hitch a ride with." The ends of my tentacles curl up. _Lying. Sorry. _I can easily afford a camel with the mystery funds I received from the royals.

"You make it sound a lot easier than it is." He warns.

_I can't be talkin' with this fella no more. I gotta leave. Quickly. _"Hey, I ain't been trainin' all this time for nothing! If it's the weather, I can handle it well enough."

"Dehydration is your biggest enemy. Especially for fishfolk, I imagine."

"Aww, don't worry none about me. I said I'll be fine, so I'll be fine! And I really gotta get goin', so I'll talk to you later!" More tentacle curling. He says a hesitant farewell, and I start to hurry down the stairs, after the couple on their camels who have just reached the bottom, hoping to travel to the first town on the road with them. Once I'm about halfway down the stairs however, I hear a mad yell from above. My nerves jump in my skin, and I look back up to see, far away, the guardsmen, now with white and blue suited marines, coming after me. The chase begins again.

* * *

By the time I reach the first settlement along the road, a cozy little town called Black Brush, I've lost the marines, but goddamn am I exhausted. That guard wasn't kidding – dehydration really is the biggest enemy out in the desert. Once I make it to Black Brush, I waste absolutely no time in finding a place to get a drink. Not five minutes after I find the small restaurant, I've already downed a gallon of water. That was it, though. Water wasn't in infinite quantities out here, and what I did have cost me a bit.

It's the dead of night, so I get a room in an adjacent inn, glad to rest my aching legs. I'm so tired at that point that the moment I crash onto the bed I'm already asleep.

The rest of the trip to Nanohana goes something like that. Before leaving Black Brush, I get a camel from a man who works for a company that rents the animals all over Alabasta. "Nanohana, you say? Yes, yes, just find our office there and return him there! Now, just sign here to show that you are in possession of him." I also purchase some supplies for the trip, food and water. Mostly water.

It takes four days to make the journey. Once, darkness comes before I reach the next town, and I am forced to camp in the middle of the night-chilled desert. I wake up the next morning with the driest mouth I can ever remember, and it takes all morning, and generous amounts of water to get the nasty taste out. When I finally reach Nanohana, and beyond it the ocean I'd been so long without seeing, it is the crack of dawn, and it doesn't even take twenty minutes before I foolishly run into the marines, and a stupid chase through the city takes place.

I manage to lose them, thankfully, but I think I riled up half the town in doing so. Nanohana, though under major reconstruction from the war, is still the largest port in Alabasta, as well as home to the country's largest Marine presence. The fluffy white sails of grand ships can always be seen, no matter where in the city one is, and that includes the small alleyway I'm currently hiding in. _I thought they'd never give up… Actually… I reckon they haven't. No, I ain't got time to rest._ I peek out for a moment. The ocean is close. _Close enough for me to make a run for it…_ I take a deep breath, get ready, and break out into a sprint.

I'm noticed, of course. "There she is!" A woman shouts. I don't have time to look. It's a good two hundred yards to the end of the harbor, to the blue ocean, and though I've never been a great sprinter, I'm still far enough away and moving fast enough that I doubt they'll catch me before I reach the water.

But they don't need me. The sound of a rifle firing echoes through the air, and I feel a poignant, stinging pain in my head. _Oh god… did I get shot?_ My body is still moving, still running as I'm telling it to, though the pain is right in my head. I can't take the moment needed to stop and check for a wound; I could have a bullet hole right in my temple and I wouldn't know it until I fall to the ground. A flash of light and another gun fires, but I sense no new pain, just the throbbing in my head. _I'm almost at the water… Yes!_

I leap off the edge of the tiled stones of the harbor, and crash into the ocean with a mighty splash. It feels so fantastic, salt water in my gills once again after so many months of dryness, but I can't relish in it just yet. I swim down, down to the sea floor, then out a good distance away from the upside-down hillside of hulls poking down into the ocean. There, I take a moment to catch my breath. My adrenaline begins to subside, and the pain pinpoints itself in one spot. Feeling with a hand until it hurts too much to touch, I find the bullet broke straight through my right head-fin, nearly splitting it in half. A small, wispy trail of blood leads from the wound back where I swam. _That ain't good. Last thing I need is a shark or somethin' followin' that scent. _I glance back towards the harbor. _I oughta see a doctor too, get it stitched up, but it's too dang'rous in this city. _With little other option, I decide on doing the same thing I did when I first discovered the ocean – hitching a ride on a boat and seeing where it takes me. I begin to swim back to land. _But I ain't choosin' blindly this time. I'll listen, and find some folks headin' somewhere safe._

Back again at Alabasta's edge, I swim a ways away from the Marine boats and find where all the merchant vessels are docked. I shimmy up alongside one of the boats, and with much hesitance, poke my head out of the water. When the water leaves my ears, it is replaced with the sounds of the city, seagulls cawing, footsteps creaking old wooden docks, and the perpetual white noise of a thousand people chattering. I swim about, always staying close to the side of a ship, listening here and there to individual voices. It's mostly nothing but useless information, a cheating wife or the price of fish, but after a short while, for just a moment the tone of a happy man's voice overpowers the rest of the noise, and in it is just what I want to hear.

"Will this be your first time in Water Seven?" He asks someone whose voice I cannot hear. _Water Seven? That's perfect! In an independent city like I can walk free! And I can probably even find a way back on track to Fishman Island! _"Well then, my dear, you're in for quite the treat! The most beautiful city you'll ever lay eyes on in the five seas! And weather much nicer than this hot hell!" He laughs a fat man's guffawing laugh. "Well, I'm heading back to the ship now. See you there in say… thirty minutes? The dock boys ought to have all my wares loaded up by then, I think! You're lucky you don't have to deal with all that nonsense!" I move a bit to get a good look at him, and sure enough he is a rather round, plump little fellow, well dressed and well-groomed, with oiled back hair and a grand moustache. His look says money.

I can't spot who he was talking to, but it doesn't matter – I've found my target. I keep my eyes and ears on him, praying he doesn't go further inland, or I might have to brave the streets once again. Fortunately, he does not, and the docks are uncrowded enough that I can spot his lime-green vest easily. It doesn't quite seem like he knows where he's going. Or rather, he's wandering about the docks, taking in the sights. About fifteen minutes of stalking later however, the round man boards a standard galleon. I assume it to be his, so I swim up to the boat, and latch onto the side, keeping my ears just above the water in order to listen in.

"My word! You're already here, my dear?" He exclaims. I can faintly hear the person he's speaking with. That her voice is a woman's is about all I can surmise. Something about it sounds familiar though, similar to someone's I've heard before, but it could just be my mind being weird. "Yes, I suppose you're right." The fat man responds. "This isn't the part of Alabasta one travels to for pleasure. One would seek out Rainbase for that. Though with Sir Crocodile behind bars, I'm not sure if the casino town still has the same zest to it it once did."

The woman says something back. A foolish part of me wants to hear what it is she's saying, and makes me climb up the side of the ship a bit further.

I hear the man's heavy footsteps. "Sure you are. All merchants are gamblers, whether we know it or not." I climb up just a bit further.

The woman's voice is finally clear. "Well in that case, I gamble only when I know I actually got a chance." The man laughs heartily, but I'm no longer paying attention to him. _Her voice…! Is that really…?_ " 'The house always wins', as they say."

_I __**know**__ that voice!_ _I gotta see_ _her! _I can't hold it in. Making no effort to hide my presence any longer, I scamper up the side of the ship until I can leap over the railing and onto the deck. Both the fat man and the woman with him are incredibly surprised, but for different reasons. The man startled at this sudden fishfolk intruder, but the woman – she is shocked for the exact same reason I am: the sight of an old friend, years after last seeing each other.

"Madam Natsu! It **is** you!"


	62. Chapter 62

**Sixty Two – Grim News? Regrets and Reflections**

The two of us are both stunned for a second, though it feels like an hour has passed in this silence. "A…Aki?" Natsu gasps, before finally finding her voice. "Aki, is that really you!?" She looks just as I remember: her dark, tanned skin and wild, black hair unchanged, though her clothing is different – a bit richer, closer to that of a store clerk than a martial artist.

I don't respond with words; I can barely find them. I only dash across the ship's deck, lift her off her feet and give her the greatest of hugs. Only when I finally set her down do I speak. "I thought I'd never see you again! What're you doin' here?"

For a second she tries to respond, but only fragmented syllables come out. "I… That… Wow. Ain't that my line? What are **you** doin' in a place like Alabasta?"

I exhale a deep breath of relief. "Long story. Incredibly, ridiculously long story."

"Hold it! Hold it!" The fat man interjects. I'd completely forgotten about him. "Who are you, fishwoman?" He turns to Natsu. "Do you know her, Ms. Natsu?"

Natsu's too overwhelmed; she takes a few steps back to a small wooden crate and sits down atop it. "Yes…" She says, her voice heavy with breath. "Very well."

"Known each other since we was kids!" I add.

"Well you have some friends of interesting manners then, intruding as they please on others' ships!" The fat man says, his cheeks turning a shade redder.

Natsu looks up at him. "Trust me, Mr. Tiercel, I'm just as shocked as you." Her gaze shifts towards me. "No, more so. What happened, Aki? Where did you go? One second you were with us in Westport and then next you're gone! Haru and I looked for you all day, but you were nowhere to be seen! We'd thought we'd lost you forever!"

I cower back a tidge. "That… well… I'm sorry about that, but…you see…" _I can't let her know the real reason…_ I decide to change the subject. "That's right! I'd almost forgot about Haru! Where is the asshole?" I ask, in a playful, jeering manner.

Natsu does not respond just yet. It takes her a moment. "Mr. Tiercel," she says as she stand up, her voice lowered. "This may be a bit to ask, but I need to speak with her in private. D'you mind if she enters the ship? It'll only be to my guest room."

This man Tiercel pulls at his moustache for a moment. "Do as you wish." He finally replies. "I **do **still owe you a couple favors…"

With a bow she thanks him and leads me into the ship, through a narrow hallway I have to duck down to fit under, into a small room with a bed and a desk, and a small circular window looking out onto the sea. "Please, sit down." She says to me, as she closes the door behind her.

I'm a bit surprised. "Madam Natsu, you ain't gotta be so formal with me. We're still friends, ain't we? I did say I was sorry about-"

"No," she interrupts, "you'll **want** to sit down."

Her voice sounds of doom, of sorrow. I do as she says, resting my bottom on the bed. She does the same, sitting next to me. "Did somethin' happen?" I ask. "Somethin' with Haru?" She bites her bottom lip, looking down at her feet. I've never seen her so distraught before, she who was always in control of the situation around her, unmalleable by events. "I swear, if that idiot went and did something to get himself-"

"He's dead." Natsu exclaims, in a voice that is only barely able to contain an outburst of emotion.

"Dead…?" My voice utters, before my mind can process the unfathomable information. When it does, I find my breath stolen from me. My senses go astray – my eyes no longer see but stare off into space, and my ears no longer care to hear sounds. "That…" I mutter, "that ain't possible… right? You ain't serious, are you?" I say that, but I know Natsu is not the one to make jokes about serious matters, real or not. She does not give an affirmation to my groundless doubts with a reply, and though I want to look into her eyes for an answer, I cannot bring mine to meet hers.

The two of us spend a moment in silence before anyone speaks.

"Aki…" She begins.

"Haru was always the strongest one!" I say, gritting my teeth. "For him to… how could he…!?"

"Aki, we're mountain people; we weren't ready for the sea." She puts a hand on mine. I don't spurn its touch. "You were lucky to be what you are. Haru… he didn't have that." I don't want to hear this. 'Being what I am' has never been a lucky thing in my mind; it's always been a curse, something to be hated. If it had come from anyone else's mouth, they would have met a fist. Natsu continues, removing her hand from mine. "It took two weeks of odd jobs in Westport to pay for the ride down, and then, several months later, not long after the ship we were sailin' with entered the Grand Line, we came upon a vicious storm. We were unprepared." Her voice wavers, and I can see small tears forming in her eyes. "Haru fell overboard and was swallowed by the sea."

Again, all is silence, occasionally broken by a sniffle from Natsu, or one of us shifting our weight on the bed. I want to say something, and I know what I would say, but I don't know if I should. I wrestle with it in my head, until at last the words slip out, like they want to be spoken. "Well…" I puncture the silence with, "at least his last days were spent with the one he loved."

"W-what?" Natsu sounds caught off-guard.

"Err… I guess he never told you, did he? Hrm. I'll probably have his ghost hauntin' me for tellin' you this – he told me to never say a word – but… the fella loved you madly." I finally am able to look into her eyes as I say this, though her response is not the one of surprise I expected. I continue anyway. "I always figured that's why he pestered the hell outta me. All the shameless flirtin' I do… especially when it was with you – it musta rubbed him the wrong way."

Natsu lets out a sigh. But it's not a sigh of sorrow, or of relief, but of disgust. "Aki, you idiot." She says. The melancholy tones have left her voice. "You're still as clueless as ever, ain't you?"

I'm taken aback. "W-What d'you mean?"

Her hand meets my shoulder. "Aki, honey, he loved **you**."

_Say what now?_ The melancholy tones leave my voice as well. "Me? Natsu, you ain't-"

"Aki, just shut up and lemme say this, please." She snaps back. "Haru loved you from the day he first spoke with you. It was painfully obvious to everyone at the dojo; we all knew it. Everyone but you, of course." She grips her forehead with a hand. "All those years, I watched as he failed over and over to show his affection, sworn to never say a word."

A knocking at the door stops her. "Everything alright in there, ladies?" comes Tiercel's muffled voice.

Natsu stands up, quickly taking a deep breath and rubbing her eyes. "Yes, everything's fine." She replies and walks to the door. For the briefest of moments her eyes move back towards mine, as if she has something more she direly needs to say, but just as soon she returns her glance to the door as she leaves the room.

I am left alone in this small room, bewildered. Only now is my mind able to fit the pieces together. _Is she right, Haru? Did you really? _I mull over the idea for a bit, and though I don't want to believe it, her words become more and more true by the second. _Is that what all that meant? I thought we was just being rough with each other, like good buddies do, but… you just wanted to be close to me? That it?_ I stand up and leave Natsu's guest bedroom, out into the cramped hallway. _And I never noticed nothin'. _

I emerge back onto the deck, into the hot afternoon sunlight and the salty air. I interrupt a conversation between Natsu and Mr. Tiercel for just a second, but after noticing my presence, they return to their business. I make my way to the ship's railing. It's low, down at my knees, and I lean on it with a couple tentacles, staring off into the ocean. I look out onto the wavy horizon, then down at the warm waves repeatedly tapping the ship. I don't know just how long I stand there, lost in the view, but it isn't too long. Natsu's approaching presence is what finally wrangles me back to my senses. _Say somethin', Aki. Anythin'. _"You know, I kinda wonder why he even bothered." I say.

"Like you're one to talk." Natsu quips back with.

I laugh gently into the breeze, then swivel around on one foot. "Right. Right, course he knew he'd be turned down. That's all he wanted then, huh… just a response. At least **some** recognition." I sigh, and crane my neck upwards to stare into the bright, blue sky. "Don't I feel like an asshole now… Sheesh, why couldn't he just up and say it?" I mumble, but Natsu still hears it.

"Who knows." She says.

"Right, who knows. He was a bit of a mystery. Never did tell us where he came from, everwhere they spoke that language a' his. Least he never told me. D'he tell you?"

"Never."

A small flock of gulls fly overhead. I watch them perch on the ship's mast. "I wonder if he wanted to tell me that too. Dang… why couldn't I see what was right in front of me?"

"Speaking of which…" Natsu says, and before I can react, a finger pushes against my sternum, and backwards I fall, off the ship's edge and into the ocean. When I surface, Natsu is laughing, and I can't help but laugh as well. "Don't beat yourself up too much over it, Aki." She calls down. "What's past is past; all I wanted was for you to know the truth. Now come on back up. I'll make somethin' to eat in celebration of our reunion."

Returning to the ship's deck, I take a moment to ring out my clothes before following Natsu into the kitchen, where she has a pan heating up. "Want anythin' else, or will just noodles be okay?" She asks. "Oh, and don't let me forget – there's somethin' else I want to show you."

"Got any shrimp?" I reply to her first question. "Please say you do."

"Shrimp?"

"Yeah, you know – little pink critters?"

"I know what they are."

"Oh, they're so good…! Better than anything in the world. Have you never had them, Madam? I ain't had none in so long, I'd just about kill a man for one right now!"

"Why… so excited over…?" She asks.

"Oh! That's right! You wasn't with me when I first had them." I start to ramble on. "It was back at Westport, a fella let me try one grilled, and I tell you, I'd never tasted nothin' so delicious in my life. I was gonna get me a whole plate but you had the money so I had to swipe me some, but the fella wasn't so dumb and I-" Realizing what I just blabbered out, I slap my hands over my mouth.

"**That's** it!?" She screams. "**That's** why you ditched us? You were allured by **food**? Aki...!" She buries her face in her hands in shame for a moment. "I thought it was somethin' dire! Somethin' incredibly important! Of all the things!"

I'm too embarrassed; I can't say anything else. I can only wait in shame for her to finish frying up a couple plates' worth of noodles (no shrimp included). When at last the food is ready, and we both sit down to eat, I hold up my glass of water and finally say "To Haru."

She acknowledges the meager toast, repeating the words before we dig into our meals.

* * *

"A peddler, huh? How's that workin' out for you?" I ask Natsu that night.

"Well enough. And when it doesn't, I rent out as a bodyguard." She replies.

Mr. Tiercel is with us on the deck, tallying up inventory. "And she's a damned good one at that!" Natsu has a small look of embarrassment, but gives a tiny bow out of courtesy for the compliment. "I suppose it does help when you're a Devil's Fruit user, though!" _A __**what**__!?_ My eyes dart to Natsu as my jaw drops. Her look says, pretty obviously, that she didn't want that bit of information getting out. "Oh dear…" Mr. Tiercel says, "was I not supposed to mention that?"

Natsu stands up swiftly "I… was gonna tell her eventually! It's just-"

"Wait, wait, wait!" I exclaim. "He's serious!? When'd this happen?"

She sits back down. "Just a few days before I met Mr. Tiercel actually."

"No kiddin'! You know I found me one a' them things too a few months ago, but I figured I'd just sell it, and then never have to worry 'bout money no more. Since I wouldn't eat it, you know, bein'…"

"Believe me, I would've done the same." Natsu says. "It was actually all a big mistake eatin' the thing. I was a diner, where some guy was makin' a big show about this Devil's Fruit he found and was gonna eat. He had the chef of the place cook it up, which is ridiculous because the fruits are, without question, the vilest tastin' things you can imagine. I dunno what happened in the kitchen – they mixed it up with a different fruit or someone was gettin' back at the man – anyway, the fruit found its way into **my** dish, so when I started clutchin' at my mouth in pain they figured out what happened."

"Dang." I say, once she's finished. "I dunno whether that's good luck or bad."

"Oh, I'm mighty pleased with the aftereffects. The man who was s'pposed to eat it even was as well – he was hopin' the fruit'd make him all-powerful or somethin'. Turns out it ain't **that** great when it comes to fightin'. …Or maybe it is, I just ain't figured it out yet."

"What's it do? What's it do?" I say with child-like excitement.

"Well, lemme show you." Standing up and walking over to me, she lifts up a hand and places her palm towards me, like a guard telling someone to halt. With a smile she says "Touch my hand."

Slowly I comply, bringing a index finger up. My heart's racing, wondering what crazy thing she can do now. _Is it gonna explode? Catch on fire? No… no, Madam Natsu wouldn't nothin' to hurt me… right? _When my finger reaches her palm, it simply passes through and disappears. I let out a small shriek in surprise and pull it back out to find it unharmed.

Natsu and Tiercel both have a small laugh at me. "I ate the Poke Poke Fruit; it lets me store as much as I want in a pocket, as long as it's small enough to pass through my body. At the moment I've got all my wares, and a ton a' other stuff all stored away, completely safe."

My mouth forms an impressed 'Ooh!'. "Where's it all go?"

Natsu laughs again. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Aki."

"It's a nice ability to have for a merchant! I'm quite jealous." Mr. Tiercel smiles.

"But that ain't why you hired me." Natsu adds.

"Heavens, no!" He exclaims. "It was your status as a pupil of the Mountain Fist dojo that attracted me. I've oft heard the legends, but to think I'd find one offering her services as bodyguard!"

"I had no idea we were so famous until recently." Natsu says with a shrug.

"Me neither." I remark. "A swordsman I traveled with said the same thing. Caught me by surprise."

Natsu smiles. "I must admit, I'm curious as to where you've been these past years, Aki. When you left, without a word, Haru and I feared the worst; we thought you captured, or even killed."

I stammer for a moment, ashamed of my past actions. _If it weren't for them Marines chasin' after me, I woulda been right back at your side, Madam. ...No, I shouldn't blame others for my mistakes. At least not for her. _"I'm sorry about that, Madam Natsu, but I swear good news came out of it! Them three fellas that ran the Sun Pirates? Only two now. Know what I mean?" I say with a wink.

Natsu's face lightens, surprised by what she has heard. "You mean you... you found one?"

"Well, I er... I didn't do the deed myself, but I found the remnants, and then I found the fella what did him in."

"Really? D'you thank him?"

"Ah... yeah. Sure. I thanked him. Kinda with my fists, but yeah. We was buddies for a bit. But that ain't the end of it!" I reached back into my waistpouch to discover everything had become soaked, an tragedy unexpected in a desert. Fishing out the newspaper article I saved, it nearly falls apart in my hands, but I am able to point out the photograph of Jinbei. "Look familiar?"

Natsu gasps. "You've really been doin' some detective work, haven't you?"

I grin. "I been tryin'."

Mr. Tiercel appears to take a look at the article. "That's from the Battle of Marineford, isn't it? You've been saving that for quite some time."

"Well, it's trash now…" I say, wiping the clingy wet newspaper chunks off my hands and into the ocean.

Mr. Tiercel returns to his tallying. Natsu sits down leaning back against the mast, crossing her legs. "So did you get him too?" She asks.

I shake my head and move across the deck to her. "Not yet. Plannin' on doin' that now."

"Oh? I'm surprised you didn't run after him the moment you saw his face. You do know where he is, I'm assuming."

"I do. I been followin' the news since Marineford. After losin' his position in the World Government, Jinbei went back to his home, Fishman Island. And I didn't run after him on account a' he was a Shichibukai. I been trainin' ever since I saw that newspaper article." I motion my head back to the sea, then stifle a laugh through a grin. "I don't mean to sound **too** boastful, but I've also come a long way since we last saw each other, Madam Natsu."

"Oh?" I hear Tiercel chime. "Perhaps you'd show me?" _The fella just loves to come and go from the conversation as he pleases, don't he?_ "You trained with Ms. Natsu, yes? I'm intrigued at the thought of a fishwoman with that kind of strength. You must be quite the monster in battle!" He says inside an oblivious chortle.

Though he doesn't know it of course, the remark stings. Natsu notices it too, though she doesn't bring it up, and neither do I. "If it means I can get a ride to Water Seven with ya'll, then I'd be glad to show you my skills in protective services."

Tiercel's bushy eyebrows raise in unexpected surprise. "Now, hold on there, miss. I said nothing of the sort. Though," he lowers his voice in contemplation, "I suppose a fishwoman would be choice assistance while sailing the Grand Line… Very well, come then! Show me your moves!"

"Alright, then." I look about the ship. _What'll I do to impress him?_

"Yes, do show us." Natsu says in a playful, sarcastic manner.

"Madam, you know I'd show you the world if I could!" I exclaim in a beauty-struck passion. After Natsu rolls her eyes and I come back to myself, an idea finds its way to me. _Oh! That'll be good._ "Mr. Tiercel, do you have a blade on you?"

"A blade?" He repeats. "I believe so. I thought you were a fist-fighter, though. You have some swordsmanship in you as well, Ms… er…"

"Aki Sinagra." I say. "Though, just 'Aki' is fine. And no, it ain't for me. I want you to come at me with it."

His bushy brows jump again. " 'Come at you'? I say… I'm not a fighter, Ms. Aki, I wouldn't know at all how to begin an attack or what not."

"All the better." Though I've thoroughly confused him Tiercel enters the ship and reemerges shortly after with a small sword. _He wasn't kiddin'; he's holdin' it terribly. Probably ain't used to the weight._ "Alright, swing it at me."

"Beg your pardon?"

"Any direction you want."

Natsu stands up. "Are you going to disarm him, or…?" I only give her a wide smile in return.

"Well… Ms. Natsu, you're my witness if anything foul happens…" Tiercel lifts the blade with both hands and holds it up in front of him, "to either of us." he adds. I don't even move into stance; I won't need to. _Not with this fella._ In a messy motion, he brings the blade up and swings it downward (though gravity's doing half the work in his case). I'm not even sure where he means to strike me. Regardless, I lift a hand, and concentrating my haki directly into the point where hand and blade will meet, block the blade's attack with merely the back of an index finger. Not a sound is made from the collision between, but I can tell Tiercel felt the impact. He shakes a moment from the vibration, but to add icing on the cake, to really show my worth, with the same finger I blocked with, I flick another burst of haki into the side of the blade, easily knocking it out of Tiercel's hands and off, sliding across the deck, before getting stuck in the wooden railing of the ship.

The fat merchant looks rather bewildered. "Goodness!" He gasps, his breath failing him. "With just one finger, you… I say, miss, I am impressed!"

"Was that… was that the same power Master possessed?" asks Natsu, amazed.

I nod. "I'll tell you all about it later if you want." Turning to Tiercel, I add "That is, if I'm sailing with ya'll to Water Seven."

"Y-Yes! My word, yes, I daresay I'll be glad to have you aboard, Ms. Aki!" He exclaims, finally having recaught his breath. "We are scheduled to leave at the break of dawn tomorrow, so if you've any business remaining in Alabasta, you'd best do it now."

He returns to tallying his inventory, and I reflect back for a moment. I think back to all the time spent here, all the trials and tribulations, all the discoveries and all the new faces I met. _But I've long overstayed my welcome here. No, it's best that I get while I can. I had me some times here in Alabasta, but my business ain't back there in memories, in the past – it's in the future._


	63. Chapter 63

**Sixty Three – Return to Water Seven! A Hello to Old Friends**

The sailing to Water Seven is long, two months to be exact. When we leave Alabasta's climate zone and instantly enter another much cooler, a vicious, though brief, storm results from the mixing of the two. I end up (probably) saving the ship, though Tiercel lost some of his wares to damage and water. After that brief turbulence however, it's smooth sailing; the seas are nice and calm for a while, if chilly.

To keep myself preoccupied during all this downtime, I get to making some new clothes for myself. I decide to do so when I'm helping Tiercel count what was lost from the storm, and notice some stocks of linen of his. It's been years since I was forced to ditch the gi of the dojo, so I miss the old threads. Fortunately for me, I still remember the shapes and sizes to cut out and how to sew the pieces together. Tiercel gives me a generous discount, as I did just (probably) save his ship. I finish the outfit in a couple days, and of course it's nothing special or flashy, but it's comfortable and it reminds me of home, and that's more than well enough.

I also relay all my adventures since Westport to Natsu. Tiercel listens too every now and then. I tell her how I met Jeff, who had known Arlong and took me to where he had built his fortress. I then tell her of all the places I chased Monkey to, until I finally caught up with the wily captain, and then of the events that took place just after that. I stop my tale at Water Seven, waiting until we're actually there to continue.

However, our trip there is not an easy one, as the Grand Line, by nature of being the Grand Line, does not let make our trip with conflict. Pirates attack our ship not once, but twice. Fortunately, they are nothing strong, merely headstrong rookies who, hearing Whitebeard's declaration at the battle of Marineford just before his death that One Piece is real, came to the Grand Line madly seeking fame and fortune. What they get however, is a sunken ship. As soon as the skull and crossbones flag is spotted fluttering over the mast, I dive into the water and swim over to their ship in secret, waiting to learn if they are confrontational or not.

They are, of course. As soon as I see the pirates move to board Tiercel's vessel and Natsu start to fend them off, I get to quick work wrecking their ship. I start by punching a hole in their hull large enough to swim through. With haki in my fist there's not an ounce of resistance. I then swim on in and start to tear it apart from the inside. By the time I resurface and dash up to the deck, the ship is already leaning to one side, and its crew has quickly forgotten about their would-be prey to help try and save their failing vessel. _I snapped your keel in two, you fellas ain't goin' nowhere._ I'd like to tell them that, but I've got to hurry back to our ship quickly, so I snake through the panicked pirates, off the edge of the deck and back into the ocean, then quickly swim back to Tiercel and Natsu before we make a quick getaway, leaving our assailants to whatever fate the Grand Line wishes to bestow upon them.

A couple weeks later, after stopping by Jaya for some business and some supplies, a bunch of pirates that had their eyes on our goods get it in their mind to follow us after we leave port. The same deal repeats, except these ones are even weaker than the previous. I don't even need to bust up their ship – Natsu can easily take them out alone – but I do anyway (just because it's fun).

We pass by two more islands familiar to me but only stop at one, and I visit neither. Long Ring Long Land, the place where the second Davy Back Fight took place, has no settlements other than a small band of nomads further inland, so we don't bother stopping there. Ocean's Dream Island however, the island where I nearly lost my memories, we do make port for a couple days at. Remembering what the Straw Hats told me occurred after I blacked out, that the islanders thought us the memory-eating culprits, I decided not to leave the boat. After who knows how long having their memories stolen from them, these people, more than anyone, have no doubt been making sure to remember everything they can. _Certainly my ugly mug._

Twenty-one months since the battle of Marineford shook the world, the shining, magnificient fountain of Water Seven appears on the horizon, and we all let out a cheer of joy. All this time however, since the day we left dusty Alabasta behind us, I have had a question of Natsu I've wished to know: "What are your plans once we reach Water Seven?" She always refrained from answering, saying she hadn't yet decided. At the moment however, this is Natsu's first time beholding the city of water, and I am entreated to a rare glimpse of her enwrapped in childlike wonder. Quick to capitalize on her brief mode of inattentiveness, I sneak up behind her and startle her half to death. I get thrown across the deck in response. _Worth it._

"So." I begin, after wringing my clothes out. "Got a question to ask you, Madam."

Though the spell of awe I shattered is vanished, she still has her gaze glued onto the approaching cityscape, floating over the silver and blue line of ocean. "I know what you're gonna ask me, Aki."

_Actually, I betcha don't._ "Oh, you do?"

"And my answer is 'I still haven't decided.' "

"That's funny. I don't recall askin' you yet if you wanted me to show you the sights around town." Surprised, she blushes just the faintest bit, but it's enough to tug at my heart strings. "Ah, your embarrassed look is too much, Madam Natsu! Simply too much!"

I figure that'll kill the mood as usual, but instead of a groan I get a smile in return. "I'd love that, Aki." She says.

My poor heart wasn't ready for that – not in the slightest.

When I come to, dried flecks of blood form stick to my skin underneath each nostril, Bedazed, I wipe myself clean and take a look around. Flying under a merchant's flag instead of a pirate one this time, we're located at a proper port, as opposed to anchored off a cape on the dirty edge of town. The scene is picturesque: us amidst a forest of furled masts in a large man-made bay right in the middle of one of the lower city blocks.

"Oh… you're up." notices Tiercel. His voice is flat, apathetic. Ever since he discovered I fancy women rather than men (he initially assumed my flirting with Natsu to be merely simple joy at the sight of a long-lost friend), his demeanor towards me shifted gears instantly, from delight to detest. I haven't taken it **too** personally, discrimination and prejudice being nothing I'm not used to, but when I noticed it started to affect the way he spoke with Natsu as well, it hurt. If I hadn't saved his ship twice, I fear we may not have made it to Water Seven with him. Now however, there's nothing stopping him, and I figured as much. "Your friend is readying herself to leave. I suggest you do the same." _Fine by me; sooner I can be rid a' you the better._

Not having much of anything to ready save for a pouch holding my cache of Berries, I wait on the dock by Tiercel's ship. When Natsu arrives neither of us bother saying goodbye to Tiercel. He's already gone somewhere anyway.

As we walk about the city, I continue my tale of my times with the Straw Hats. This years' and the last years' Aqua Laguna still hasn't beaten the one I witnessed, according to the townsfolk. After we visit a bank and rent a room at an inn, I show Natsu around the town, to the Grand Fountain, to the walls where one can see out over whole sections of the city, and even to Scrap Island, where I fought against Monkey. Or rather, we **would** have gone to Scrap Island, were it still there, but reaching it I find it's been completely built over with a new train station, mirroring the one the Puffing Tom stations at on the other side of the city. It isn't entirely finished yet, but that doesn't stop us from sneaking in and taking a look around. And who should notice us then but than Mayor Iceburg himself.

"Well now! Yours is a face I hadn't expected to see again so soon." He says. In his smile some new wrinkles have found a home, and in his hair have appeared trace flashes of grey. "Your name was… ah… Eki?"

"Aki." I correct.

"Right, right. My apologies, I've got trains on the mind right now." He turns back to the construction of the train station and hollers something at a gaggle of construction workers putting together a ticket counter (though it may be something else, I'm not sure).

"And this is Natsu." I continue, opening a hand in her direction. "She's my gir-"

"I'm her friend." Natsu cuts in, darting a quick look seeping chagrin in my direction.

The two shake hands. "Pleased to meet you. My name's Iceburg; I'm mayor of Water Seven." Natsu gasps at the news. _Ah… yeah, I coulda mentioned that._ "Aki. If I could, I'd like to ask you a few questions."

_What's this all of a sudden?_ "Uh… that's fine." I stammer. "What about?"

He raises his palms in front of him. "Oh, not now. I'm too busy overseeing all this construction. The station's grand opening is in just two days, so we're in a bit of a rush to have it completed and ready by then. I should have some time tonight to-"

"You're booked tonight." Comes the voice of a child. Behind Iceburg's tall frame is an absolutely adorable little girl in glasses and pigtails, with a clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other, flipping through papers and jotting down notes.

"Right." sighs Iceburg. "Well then, tomorrow morni-"

"Town hall meeting." Says the little girl. _Is she his secretary? That's… that may be… the cutest thing I ever seen!_ Iceburg grumbles something unintelligible, then glances down at the girl. The two exchange looks for a moment, neither speaking for just a moment. "Yes, tomorrow evening is fine. You've got 8:15 and 9:30 open. How long do you need?" _I see now where those grey hairs came from, Mayor._

"Not long. I've only a couple things to ask." He stares into my eyes as he speaks, and I see in them a man on edge. _Probably all this work gettin' to him._

The tiny assistant cranes her head up at me. "Can you work in an 8:15, Ms. Aki?"

"Sweet thing, I can…!" I begin to exclaim in a cuteness-induced squeal, but her stone cold, no-jokes face stops me. I lower my voice. "8:15 is fine." The girl scribbles it in, and Iceburg bids me farewell as Natsu and I leave him to his work.

* * *

We get to bed early that night, happy to sleep in a place that isn't rocking back and forth to the waves. The next morning, Natsu asks me for sparring practice. I'm surprised at the sudden request, but happily oblige. With a sudden flash of déjà vu we ascend to the roof of the inn where a bridge leads off to a taller building, which then turns into a staircase that climbs up to that building's roof, where a small plaza with a fountain in one corner sits, connected with a higher tier of the city. It is vacant, so the two of us practice there. She then makes a request that I can't help but find strange. "I don't mind if you use haki." She says. "In fact, I ask that you do."

"You gonna use your Devil's Fruit power?" I ask.

" 'Course not." Unsure why she would do such a thing, when it would make a clear disadvantage for her, I hesitate to oblige, but in the end agree.

When we spar, it is as I assumed – my command over haki makes my guard virtually inpenetrable. I can still feel the impact of her punches of course (the fists of a fighter from the Mountain Fist are nothing at all to be scoffed at), but they are purely physical – there is no will behind them. I offer repeatedly to not use it, since she's not using her secret power, and make it a fair fight, but she refuses. _She doesn't want my pity. I understand._

In the end, she doesn't even tell me why she wanted the fight. She simply thanks me, then returns to the inn for a shower. _I wanna know what's up, but if she don't wanna say then she ain't gonna, and that's that._ I decide not to follow. Instead, I lie down against the fountain, with my tentacles floating about in the pool of water, and eventually, unknowingly, fall into a light nap.

When I awake, I find a small crowd has gathered around the plaza. I sit up, rub my eyes and blink a few times, then look around at the seven or so wide-eyed people. "W-was I asleep?" I stammer. No one answers. I stand, water dripping from my tentacles. A couple leave in a hurry. "Uh… anyone got the time?" Again no one says a thing, but one man points off in the distance, out onto the skyscape of the city. I follow his finger to a clock tower, whereon the right-angled hands tell me it's just about to hit two. _Gah! I slept for two hours? Natsu… I wonder where she ran off to…_ I turn to the crowd, but it's diminished to just the man who showed me the time and two others. "I don't s'ppose none a' ya'll saw a short, dark-skinned woman with curly black hair come through here while I was sleepin', did you?" They're all silent. "Tch. Fine! Don't answer! See if I give a rat's ass." I storm off, back down the stairway I came here via.

Natsu isn't in the inn, so I ask the people at the front desk. Thankfully, **they've** got a voice in them, but sadly, all they can tell me is they haven't seen her since before noon. _Same time we quit that match. Well, that's fine. Probably don't want me taggin' along all the time anyway. Hell, __**I**__ wouldn't_. I thank the receptionist and leave the inn through the front door, wondering how to fill the day.

I end up simply wandering the city for a while, not aiming for any particular destination. I stroll down the streets, I look at what's being sold in the markets, I sit on benches for a while and people-watch, and it is not until I see a figure clad in elaborate costume with a painted wooden mask on their face, that I remember…

_Andy!_ My old mask-maker comrade from the Nettle Bandits – I came across him last time I was in Water Seven. _I oughta see how he's doin'! If he's even still here, that is. Let's see… last time he was a couple districts over, set up by that bookstore where we lost Madam Nico. I oughta head over there and see if anyone knows the fella._ So I do just that, walking in a clear direction this time. I find I even have a bit of a quickening in my step, taking longer strides than normal.

When I reach the area it's nearing six o'clock and the sky is starting its first shades of sunset orange. I find the bookstore, but no mask shop. I ask around, trying my best to describe his appearance. When I finally find someone who recognizes who I'm talking about (and will actually give me her ear), I hear he's working as a chef in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant now. The woman is kind enough to give me directions, and though they're a little confusing (by nature of Water Seven's confusing street networks), I eventually find the place right around dinnertime.

"The Fat Fish." I read the sign in a mumble. _Weird name._ Walking in reveals a dim-lit, warm dining area larger than I thought it'd be judging from outside, with quite a number of customers present. However, none of them are eating. Or rather, if they had been they've stopped now; as usual I yanked away everyone's attention and brought on an eerie hush. Two dozen eyes are all fixated on me, and no matter how many times it happens, I never get used to it – it always bothers me terribly. Trying not to stare at any one person for too long, I take small steps towards the counter, where a server is just as petrified.

When I'm halfway there, from a door leading into the kitchen bursts a burly, hairy little man with a chef's apron holding a two-pronged skewer, looking worried, probably from the sudden silence. He instantly spots me and gives me a half-scowl. "Oi, fish! You haven't come to start trouble, have you?" He points the skewer in my direction.

I feel my blood start to boil. _Don't react, Aki. You snap back, and you only strengthen him._ I exhale a deep breath through my nostrils, then say calmly "I might be a customer. That how you talk to customers 'round here?"

He and the server behind his counter meet eyes for a moment. It is the server who breaks out of his stupor and responds, in a trained business manner, "O-of course not. My apologies… ma'am. How can I help you?" This breaks a bit of the awkwardness in the mass of patrons as well, much to my relief.

I walk the rest of the distance to the server and ask him "I'm lookin' for a guy named Andy. Folks tell me he works here."

"Andy?" The short man responds, a tone of shaky surprise in his voice. "Why in the world would he know-"

"Oi! I hear my name out there?" A voice from the kitchen responds. I recognize the Red Line accent instantly – it's him.

The short man pokes his head back into the kitchen. "There's a fishwoman out here what says she knows ya, Andy."

"A fishwoman?" I hear Andy respond. "Aw, hell no! I know who that's gotta be…!" A moment later and he comes out into the dining room with us. As soon as we see each others' faces, we both crack big smiles. "Aki! You show up at the damndest times!"

"Ryahahaha!" I laugh. "I ain't plannin' this shit, I swear! I just happened to be in town. Thought I'd see if you was still livin' here." The short man returns to the kitchen, surely confused. Noise has returned to the restaurant now, my presence no longer feared, but just 'dealt with', I guess.

"I sure is. Got me a nice job here and everythin'." He gives the server a smile, who returns it. The nearest table is empty, so he pulls out a seat and sits down in it, then offers another to me. "So whatchu in town fo'?"

I shrug, then sit down at the table. "Tryin' to find a way to Fishman Island."

"Fishman Island? Where's that?" I tell him what I know, that it's under the Red Line, ten-thousand meters below the ocean's surface. "Damn. Good luck with that. But I guess you got the body for goin' down there, huh?" I shrug again. "Hey, that's right!" He changes the subject. "Last time I saw you I was sellin' them masks, and I said we was gonna get some lunch or somethin' some other time, weren't we?"

"I remember you sayin' somethin' like that." I answer. "I think I meant to take you up on that offer, but that Aqua Laguna…"

"Yeah, that was somethin' that year, wasn't it? Ain't never seen one that big before. Well, that's all in the past, right? Let's get somethin' to eat!"

"Is it okay? Ain'tcha workin' right now?"

"Hm. Yeah, I guess I better ask." He gets up, then pokes his head into the kitchen. "Hey, Gero! I'm gonna go on break now, that okay?" A voice I can't make out says something back. "Old friend a' mine from way back when just came in." Some more noises from the kitchen. "Shoo, I don't know." He turns back to me. "Aki, whatchu want to eat?"

"You serve shrimp?" comes out of my mouth before I realize it.

"Sure, we serve anybody." He laughs at the joke. I've heard it enough times that I only elicit a groan. He looks back into the kitchen and shouts the order. I'm not sure exactly what dish he ordered, but if it's got shrimp in it I really couldn't care less.

After twenty minutes or so of talking about and this and that the food arrives and it's beyond delicious. It takes everything in me not to inhale the entire meal and make the rest of the patrons think me some kind of animal (though I'm sure a good lot of them already do). I tell Andy I have no idea what they put in it, but it's fantastic. Even the drink compliments the dish well. For a moment I think maybe my tastes are just so low-class that anything they could've made would taste amazing, but I shove it aside, preferring to remain in happy ignorance if that is the case.

Andy insists he pay the bill, but I don't let him. I've still got a substantial amount of Berries given to me by the Alabastans that I can make last for quite a while. "You got the time, Andy?" I ask him as he's about to go back to work. _Though there ain't much of a crowd left to serve._

He points to a clock hanging on the dining room wall. _7:30. That's enough time._ As I turn to leave the restaurant. We say our farewells, and this time, I actually entertain the possibility that it might not be the last.


	64. Chapter 64

**Sixty Four – Safe Seas No Longer? The Choice of Duty and of Friendship**

I find my way to the Galley-La headquarters building easily enough. They'd built a new one after the old burned down, and it's twice as grand as its predecessor. Set on the city's highest tier, right beside the Grand Fountain itself, it is six stories high, built of shining white and beige stone, designed with an eye for the aesthetically pleasing. The striking reddish-orange color of the wavy tiled roof reminds me of the sun dried tomatoes I just ate with dinner. _Goddamn that shrimp was good. _A pair of gentle waterfalls cascade down either side of the building's front wall, and in the center is a pair of large double doors with the words "Galley-La" emblazoned in red lettering above, along with the company's rowboat logo.

After taking a moment to admire the view of the building, I enter. The inside isn't as regal as I thought it'd be, though. Inside it's all business. A simple, if large, lobby with a number of chairs to wait at, and row of clerk windows behind one wall. It's also much, much warmer inside I notice. It being the time of day that it is, there aren't many people in the lobby, and only two of the windows have tellers in them. I get a couple stares walking in, but they just as quickly forget about me. The people doing business here are mostly sailors, some of them probably even pirates by the look of them._ Fishfolk ain't a strange sight to them, I guess._ I approach the counter, and bend down to get a look inside.

"Yes, can I help you?" The receptionist says with a snide, 'I hate my job' voice.

"Uh, I'm s'pposed to meet Mayor Iceberg at 8:15." I glance at a clock behind the window. It's 8:20. _Whoops._

The receptionist gives me a inquisitive eye, then rifles through some papers until he finds the one he's looking for, a timetable, and browses through it with an index finger. "Name?" He asks.

"Aki." I say. "Aki Sinagra."

"Alright, go on ahead." He says, checking something off on a sheet of paper, then setting it aside. "The mayor's office is on the sixth floor." I give him my thanks and venture into the building to find the way up.

As I ascend the staircase through the stories of the building the air gets hotter and hotter. By the time I reach the top, it's almost like a sauna. Sweating profusely, I take my gi off and let it dangle from my waist. _Still swelterin' in here. _My old tanktop underneath is clinging to my skin like paint, so I grab it by the center and shake it a bit to try and get some air flow. _It ain't even summer, what's up with this heat?_ It's so thick it's making me dizzy.

Iceburg's office is impossible to miss. I knock on the door in three loud beats. Iceburg's recognizable baritone voice replies "Come in." I open the door and in his luxurious office is Iceburg, sitting at his desk and Natsu standing aside him. Behind them in place of a wall is one large window, overlooking the entire nighttime cityscape.

"Aki!" Natsu exclaims. Her voice is filled with both anger and worry. From her palm she pulls a rolled up piece of parchment from her pocket and begins to storm my way. When she is only a few steps from me she unfurls the paper and shoves it in my face. "What the hell's the meanin' a' this!?"

I blink a couple times and lean down low to see it. It's a wanted poster, and the face is mine. In black lettering it says "WANTED: Mountain Fist Aki. DEAD OR ALIVE. 99,999,000 Berries."

"Oh, come on!" is surprisingly my first response. "Couldn't they just make it a clean hundred mil'?" I take a closer look. "For the genocide of 1,120 citizens of Alabasta, the theft of several precious treasures from Drum Kingdom, the assault of Marine personnel, acts of piracy against the World Government," I squint at the fine print, "and the theft of 11 shrimp." I let out another burst of shock and disgust. "They still gettin' on me for that!?"

"That's not the point, Aki!" Natsu shouts. I veer my gaze up at her, but her figure's getting blurry. It's hard to keep my focus on her. "All this… this! You didn't really do it, did you?"

"Wha… what, the shrimp?"

"No, not the shrimp, you idiot! 'The genocide of eleven hundred and twenty citizens of Alabasta… theft of several precious treasures… assault of Marine personnel!" She reads from the poster. "Genocide they're saying, Aki! Genocide! You couldn't… right? This is a lie, isn't it!?"

I take a moment to respond. The world's starting to spin in circles around me. It takes a moment for my blurred brain gets its response ready. "Uh… nah…" I manage to mumble. Natsu and Iceburg both breathe a sigh of relief. Raising my voice back to its normal volume, I chuckle. "Nah, I totally did that stuff."

The others both gasp. Iceburg stands up and slams his hands on the table. "Ms. Sinagra, are you serious? I called you here because I was certain these allegations were false, but now you're telling me they aren't!?"

"Man, you worry too much." I say with a laugh, wobbling across the room. "You work with pirates in this uh…" I point out to the window, out to the lights of the city. "this uh… place… right? So I reckon it's totally alright, ain't it?" My words slur together into a messy stream of sounds, ending with a hiccup.

"No, it is **not** alright!" yells Iceburg. "When I do business with pirates, it's with those who are good-natured, like the Straw Hats you were once a member of!"

A bout of anger suddenly and without warning wells up in me. "Hey!" I shout, storming across the room towards Iceburg's desk. "How many times I gotta… gotta tell people I ain't a' part that dumbass pirate's crew, huh? Huh!?"

Natsu follows after me, but it is not to stop me from clashing with the man. She reaches upward and snags one of my front tentacles, pulling my head around and down closer to her. I'm too disoriented to retaliate against the move. "Aki, are you drunk?" She takes a sniff when we're face to face and instantly covers her nose, affirming her suspicions.

It takes a second for the information to process. _Huh…? Say… what now? _"Nah, no way. I ain't drunk. I'm… oh wait… oh wait! Yeah, yeah I am drunk! Andy, you crazy son of a…" I scream out a laugh. "**That's **what that drink was! Oh man, this is just like last time…! I wonder why… why it takes so long, ryahaha…ha…"

Just then, from behind me a man bursts into Iceburg's office. He is well-dressed in a black suit, but wears a pair of goggles around his forehead and his straw-blonde hair. "Iceburg!" he exclaims. "We've got trouble down at Dock 3! There's a-" He stops mid-sentence. "Good god, woman! Have you no shame!?" He yells. _Who's he… 's he talkin' bout me… or uh…? _ He walks over to me and tries to grab at my gi.

"Hey! Oi! Quit that!" I smack him away with a pair of tentacles. "The hell's wrong with… wrong with you, huh?"

"A woman shouldn't show so much skin! It's heretical!"

I hiccup. "Here-what?"

"Scandalous! Shameful! Disrespectful!"

"Paulie, never mind that!" Iceburg exclaims. "What were you going to tell-"

"Pssh. Like I give a shit about any a'… uh… any a' that stuff." I interrupt. My mood shifts suddenly to confrontational. "Unless you wanna fight about… huh? Yeah, I betcha you ain't so tough when your dukes are up, little bro." I put my fists up and give a drunk chuckle to myself. Paulie has a mixed expression. Meanwhile, Iceburg and Natsu both rush to try and stop me, but I quit just as soon as I start. "Forget it," I grumble, stagger over to the nearest chair and fall into it, "it's too damn hot in here." Far too wasted to care, I start to take off my tanktop, royally freaking Paulie out. I don't even make it halfway though before my body just gives up. Mumbling something incoherent for a few seconds, I slide down into a lazy slouch, my eyelids grow heavy, and in no time, it's lights out.

* * *

I wake with an ache like my skull is a beaten gong. Grumbling and mumbling, I slowly open my eyes and see just where I am. _What happened…?_ Everything's all blurs and sparkles. _Ugh… feels like a train hit me…_ I'm in a chair, so I try to move to stand, but my head's still spinning too much. I take a moment to wait and hope everything reconfigures itself.

"You awake?" A voice calls. It's a man's voice, but too high to be Iceburg's. _That fella in the suit?_

I try to say something, but it ends up a trailing mumble.

"I'll take that as a yes." Says the man.

This time, I manage to speak. "Yeah." I say in a louder voice, raising myself up to something closer to a proper sit. "Yeah, I'm up." I rub my eyes vigorously, then open them up to see my guess of the man's identity was correct. I also see someone put my gi back on me, as well as a large jacket on top of that. _That's… a bit creepy._ "What the hell happened? Am I still in…? Is this…?"

"The old man's office." Paulie says. I take a look around. He's sitting in Iceburg's chair, his feet up on the desk like he owns the place. Other than us however, there's not a soul else in the spacious room.

"Where'd everyone run off to?" I mumble.

He takes his feet off the desk. "Huh? Whaddya mean? Haven't you noticed it's not night anymore, harlot?"

_Harlot!? Why I oughta-_ The thought is stopped once I open my eyes entirely and realize he's right. The giant glass pane behind him reveals the pink morning sky opposite a sunrise. The light intensifies my headache; I squint my eyes, but the pounding resumes. _Damn… I was out the whole night?_ I finally stand up, gripping my forehead as I take a few staggering steps away from the chair I drunkenly crashed into. "So what, you stayed behind to keep an eye on me?"

Paulie grumbles. "I couldn't care less about some shameful drunk." He puts his feet back up, and leans the chair back on its hind legs.

I grumble back. "I wasn't talkin' about something happenin' to me, I meant makin' sure I don't- you know what, never mind." My eyes have almost adjusted to the light, but my head still hurts. I plop a tentacle on the desk and lean on it. "So why're you here then?"

"I'm the vice-president of Galley-La, why shouldn't I be?" he boasts, lifting his hands into the air. That creates just enough momentum however, that his chair falls backwards, and Paulie bangs his head violently on the floor with an angry cry of pain. I probably could've reached out to catch him, had I not been preoccupied with a hangover (and had I cared). "Son of a…" He awkwardly rises to his feet, fixes the chair, and rubs the back of head. "Damn, that hurts!"

"Yeah, you're tellin' me." I reply in a perfect blend of apathy and sarcasm. "So you just come in and make yourself at home everwhen the boss ain't around?"

"Tch." He scoffs. "Someone's gotta watch the place, right?" _Ain't that what I just…?_ "Iceburg's doing the christening of the Puffing Ice right now, so I'm staying here 'till he gets back."

"The what of the what?"

"The christening – you know, like with ships? Except this is a train, but it's the same thing." _Sorry, buddy. Ain't gotta clue what that is._ "That reminds me. The old man wanted to letcha know that that friend a' yours, she'll be riding the first train out of Water Seven."

I open my eyes wide, and stand up straight, alert, shocked. "The first!? You mean… this new train? W-When!? Madam Natsu, right?"

"Natsu, yeah I think that was the hussie's name." '_Hussie'!? _"And it leaves in about…" Paulie glances at his watch "ooh, thirty minutes on the dot."

My jaw nearly drops. "Thirty minutes!?"

"Yeah, shame you didn't wake up…ear…li…" By the time his sentence devolves into lazy syllables I'm already out the door, scrambling through the Galley-La headquarters building. I burst out into the lobby like a bat out of hell, shattering the usual, awkward silence of the place. But I don't stop. I don't stop for anything. I don't pay any attention to anything around me. All my mind can think about is Natsu – her face, her smile, her personality, everything about her – leaving me for what could be forever for a reason I don't even know. All else, all other stimuli is ignored. I concentrate on nothing but running, running as fast as my legs will take me. The streets blur behind me, but it isn't fast enough. _Damn it, Aki, I know you ain't never been a runner, but right now I need you to MOVE!_

For the entire thirty minutes I run through the city. My limbs feel like they're going to fall off, but I don't stop. When I arrive at the shiny new station, I can hear the steam hissing out from the train's belly. _I'm not too late, am I!? _I dash past the ticket counter, past all the checkpoints, gathering a following of officials are on my tail, yelling and cursing at me. The loud whistle of the train.

I reach the platform…

…and the train has just left.

I stop in my tracks. I'm seconds too late. _No… No!_ "No! No, no! NO!" I yell. My heart is racing. "Natsu, why would you…?" Without thinking, without any care, I run to the water, dive in and swim out into the sea, following the tracks. My energy is already spent and I ache so much, but my body doesn't care. It blindly swims out. But inside, my mind is torn. _Natsu… this is what you couldn't tell me, ain't it? You meant to leave me from the start. _I slowly start to catch up with the train as it slows down for some waves. _You knew that was best… best for both of us. Damn it! You know it is too, Aki! If you stay with her, you're only gonna bring more tragedy to her!_ The train is close enough to see the passengers inside the windows. A couple have noticed me, swimming alongside. _You don't even know where she's goin'! Which is more important, her or your duty? The duty comes first! It **always** comes first! You follow her, and you're runnin' away from the dead! You ain't allowed to do that, Aki! You're chained to those obligations no matter what you do, and you know it! So why are you still followin' her? Aki, you stupid, selfish piece a' shit, why are you still followin' her!?_

A small crowd has started to gather on the left side of the train, poking their heads out the windows at me. Many don't know what to think. Swimming closer, a number grow frightened. The children are entertained. A couple shout something at me. When I can, reaching out with all my might, with the last drop of energy left in my body, I manage to grab hold of the edge of an open window. The people who were at it flee several steps back. Taking only a second to manage a breath, I shout as loud as my broken lungs will allow "Natsu! Can you hear me!?"

I hear the name bounced around the voices inside, along with several slurs. One man threatens to slam the window closed on top of my fingers. "Natsu, please!" I yell. "I ain't leavin' you like this! Please, answer me just this once!" I feel my hold begin to waver. My fingers start to slide back on the windowsill, the inside of each knuckle raw.

_Let go. Just let go, and say goodbye._

"Natsu?" A voice from inside murmurs. "That's your name, isn't it? Why aren't you…?"

From the smoldering, dead ash of my spirit, a spark kindles. _Natsu…? Is that you?_ A figure walks to the window I so desperately cling to. She is stoic, quiet, angry even, but it is her.

"Madam Natsu!" I yell. "Oh, it **is** you!" My pinkie finger slips. "I knew I'd find you!"

She doesn't move. She only looks down at me with the same disapproving look. I'm not unaccustomed to being looked upon with shame, but this – this is different. This is almost disgust.

"N-Natsu…? What's the matter? Please, let me in!" I plea. Still, she does not move. She only pierces into me with her judge's eyes. My ring finger is off the window skill. I'm only holding with the tips now."You… you ain't… you don't mean…?" I think I've figured it out. "No, please… don't let this be it between us! You're my best friend! You're my **only** friend! Ain't we lost everyone else dear to us? Ain't each other all we got left!? Natsu, please!" The cramping tension that heralds tears begins to arise in the back of my throat, but I keep them in. I won't let her see that. I won't let it happen. Not now, not at this moment. _This is revenge, ain't it? This is just what I did to you… I left you… without a single word, suddenly, thoughtlessly. I deserve this… I deserve every bit of this. I understand that! Oh, Natsu…!_

I look into her eyes, and just as my last two fingers lose their grip entirely, I scream into the air, with every ounce of breath in me, with every mote of my essence, as if it were the last words my lips would ever let loose onto the world…

"I'M SORRY!"

Caught.

A hand, rough from years of training, catches me by a tentacle and holds tight. Behind it is a face, dark and beautiful, warm as the sun shining behind it. "I got you." She says as she pulls me into the train, away from the cold, lonely world of suffering.

**-End of Volume Five-**


	65. Chapter 65

**Volume Six – Showdown**

**Sixty Five – The Long Ride to Saobody! Worry and Reconciliation**

The hot air of the furnace scalds my skin, but I don't mind it. They're letting me ride this train as long as I work, and that's more than a deal for me, considering they could've just thrown me off. "Ye ain't even human," the conductor had said, "we wouldn't be killin' ye by tossin' ye back out into the sea." Luckily, one of the workers caught a nasty virus in Water Seven, so they were short a hand. The train's chief engineer, a guy by the name of Jimminy, was more than happy to have a pair of strong fishfolk hands helping to keep the train moving. I'm still sore as hell, even though a day has passed, but there's no rest. The boiler demands coal, and I'm the one to shovel it. I haven't spoken with or even seen Natsu since she pulled me aboard yesterday. No, the conductor was quick on the job to apprehend the stowaway and put her to work. The last thing Natsu said to me before retiring that day was "We'll talk later." _As long as you're with me, Madam, I'll wait as long as it takes._

"Sir!" I hail Jimminy as he passes by the boiler room. "D'you got a moment?"

"A **moment**, sure. What's the matter?" Jimminy is a big, burly fellow, the kind you'd expect to see running a train, but he's a big softie on the inside.

"Well…" I wipe the sweat off my brow, leaving a soot grey smear. "This's gonna sound like a mighty stupid question, but where's this train headin' to?"

He blinks several times before responding. "You… Why would you board a train without knowing where it's going?" I give him an embarrassed look, coupled with a few silent gestures. _C'mon, I ain't answerin' that._ "We make several stops. First, the Silver Islands, then we connect up with land rails and travel through the Pomelanian heartland for a while. Then, it's a straight shot to Sabaody and Marineford."

"Sabaody!?" I exclaim.

"That's right." He thinks for a second. "That's not where you're getting off, is it? I'll have to warn you – the people there will not take kindly at all to a fishwoman in their midst. I wouldn't disembark there if I were you. In fact, I'd be wary even on this train."

"I know. I…" I think back for a moment, to two years ago. "I been there before. I'll have me a disguise, so don't worry. How long's the trek to Sabaody?"

"Seven weeks."

"And I'm good for that far?"

"As long as you keep working."

I thank him. He gives me a small tip of his hat as he leaves. The coal is still good for another fifteen minutes or so, so I contemplate seeking Natsu out wherever in the train she is, but that would be a bad idea. People get uneasy enough around fishfolk without adding to it the fact that I'm a sooty mess at the moment. I feel I know the answer to what I want to ask her though. _She got on this train 'cause it's headin' to Sabaody, and beyond that, Fishman Island. _I'd never seen the flames of vengeance burn as brightly in her as they did Haru or I. When I learned she had become a merchant I thought maybe she'd given it up entirely. _Guess I was wrong, though. She's just as determined as me – enough to go alone, with no guarantee she'll live to see her mission done. _I get tired of thinking so much on it and sit down by the window, enjoying the cool breeze washing over my forehead as the rest of my body is blasted by the furnace heat.

* * *

In six days' time we reach the Silver Islands. I thought maybe they were named so maybe because of rich deposits of silver underneath them, but as it turns out everything there simply is stricken with a silvery hue. Silver grass, silver trees, silver rocks, even the animals and people who have been there for many years have shades of silver in their skin that makes them glisten under the sun. The largest island in the archipelago is where the train stops at, at a decently-sized city called, uninspiredly enough, Silver City. There we stay for a day before continuing on the train's journey.

The first order of business is to restock on coal, enough to last us to the next stop, a country called Pomelania. I don't know who pays for it or whatever, but it's not my business, and I don't really care – I'm just here to load it onto the train. I guess because their usual worker is human it normally takes longer to get all the coal loaded up; I finish with still two or three hours of sunlight left in the day. We're not leaving until tomorrow morning, so I've finally some free time. _Time to find Madam Natsu. I got a whole heap a' thanks to give her. But first…_

"Ya'll got a mirror in here I can borrow?" I ask the people just inside the passenger car closest to the engine. I only poke my head in, daring not to get soot anywhere. There are only three people in the car, an old man sleeping and a young couple whose conversation I just interrupted. "Sorry, I ain't tryin' to intrude or nothin'." The young woman, with noticeable reluctance, hands me a small hand mirror. "Thank you. I promise I'll be right back with it. Just wanna wash my face." Careful not to get any soot on the door closing it, I let them return to their peaceful conversation. I then leap off the engine car and into the ocean. It takes a bit of work to wash all the soot off. Six days in the stuff without so much as a bath has turned me into a nasty-looking creature. When I get off as much as I'm going to without rubbing my skin raw, I resurface back onto the train, to the passenger car to the return the mirror to the gracious young woman.

"Thank you kindly, madam." I say with a small bow.

She and her partner both look confused, perplexed even. The man speaks. "You are… not like vhat I expected a fishfolk to be."

I take a step back. His accent is a thick Mariejoan. "What were you… expectin'?" I stammer. He begins to speak, but rethinks his words for a moment. After a couple awkward seconds of quiet, I say "Well… sure, okay. Thanks again for lettin' me borrow that." and leave, in the direction further into the passenger cars. I look through three of them, but there's no sign of Natsu, and I get enough weird looks in that time that I decide to disembark for land, and see if I can't find her somewhere. _Weirdos… Can't tell if they wanna kill me or just stare at me._

Finally getting out into the city, I can finally see just how eerily silver it really is. The people too… they are especially strange to look at. When I first come across an older man whose skin is as metallic as a sheet of metal, I nearly freak out. Of course, he does the same looking at me, so it's probably a comical scene to anyone watching. The city's too big to search in a day, so I decide to just make my way to the city square. There I get a bite to eat and take it out to the plaza to enjoy sitting at a bench. I quickly find the silver hue of the city creates the best means imaginable to identify foreigners. _I thought I stood out like a sore thumb normally…_ It feels like everyone's eyes are on me, even though I'm doing nothing but simply sitting, minding my own business, trying to enjoy a spicy shrimp wrap. _This is too much. I'm headin' back._

When I return to the train station, the conductor gives me a small nod. "Lookin' fer someone?" He asks.

"How'd you know?" I give him Natsu's name, and a brief description of her.

"The lady ye came on board followin', right? Yeah, I believe she's returned to the train."

"Fantastic! Which car's her room in?"

"Now, now. Hold on. I can't give you that."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Passenger's privacy. You're a volunteer, not an employee. You… do understand that, right?"

_Course I do, you idiot. _"Oh c'mon, we're childhood friends, can't you just-"

"Sorry, no." He sighs. "But I can 'ave someone send her a message if ye'd like."

I thank him and tell him I'd appreciate that. With nothing much else to do, I return to the engine and stay there with Jimminy, not saying much of anything, just listening to the sounds of the ocean and the city.

* * *

Natsu doesn't appear that night, nor the next. When I see her again is two weeks after the Silver Islands are behind us and we're happily chugging across the ocean. The day before that the seas become rough during a fierce shower, and though I fear for the continued existence of the train and all the people on it, Jimminy assures me the Puffing Ice was built to last through all but the roughest of storms. Nevertheless, he still suggests I should make my way to the back of the boat and keep watch to be ready to rescue any foolish or unlucky passengers who may fall into the ocean. Thankfully, none do.

Today the seas are calm, and above them is a beautiful, shining blue sky with kingdoms of marshmallow mountain clouds. Sitting outside against the railing in the space between the boiler car and the first passenger car, I gaze out onto the scenery. It's surreal, floating over the top of the ocean so calmly. I still haven't a clue how the eggheads at Water Seven managed such a feat, but I probably don't want to know. It'd kill the beauty of the mystery.

It is while I'm half-lost in admiration that Natsu arrives. Suddenly and without warning, the passenger car's door opens and Natsu pokes her head out. She doesn't say anything, only looks at me. It takes a second for me to register what just happens, but once I do, a great smile grows on my face. "Well howdy there, Madam! You get on at Silver City? I ain't seen your pretty face on this train before!"

Natsu spots the undertone immediately. "Very cute." She crosses over the gap between the cars and sits down across me. "You're a mess."

"Ain't that the truth? Tried to wash myself off in the ocean at Silver City. Took two days to get all the sparkle off me." That cracks a smile on her face. We sit without speech for a half minute, listening to the sounds of the engine.

"I know what you're wonderin'." She says, looking up at me. A raised brow is my only response. "Why I've been avoidin' you all this trip."

"Crossed my mind a couple times." I mumble. "But it don't bother me none." Another extended silence. I wait for her to answer why, but no words leave her mouth. "Are you mad at me for somethin'?"

She sighs a thick breath of disgust. "Aki, come on. Don't play dumb with me." I give her an honest look of confusion. She sighs again. "Or are you one of those who forgets everything from when they were drunk?"

_Oh shit. That's right. _In all the madness following my visit to Galley-La HQ, I'd completely shoved that bit of startling news to the side.

My face gives me away. "**Now** you remember." Natsu says. I try to form a response, but the thoughts won't coalesce into words. "I'm afraid to ask for fear of what the answer might be." Our eyes meet, two souls looking into each other. "You didn't really kill all those people, did you? An entire town? That **was** just the alcohol talkin', right?"

She desperately wants the answer to disavow her fears. I do as well. _But that ain't the truth… Should I tell her? Should I lie?_

Natsu looks even more distraught. "What's with the hesistation?" She notices the ends of my tentacles curl inward, my bad habit. "No! No, Aki, I want the truth! Did you or did you not!?"

"Well…!" I exclaim. "Yes and no."

" 'Yes and no'?" She crosses her arms. _I ain't escapin' this unscathed._

"I… that is…" I can't look at her as I speak. "It was my fault…" I say, and Natsu gasps, "but it weren't my intent, a' course!"

She doesn't say it out loud, but her body conveys her response. 'Explain', it says. So I do. I tell her of the portion of my story starting with my flight from Drum Island. I then tell her what occurred at Goldshore, how I was deceived into foolishly thinking there would be no killings, and how my face was the only one there anyone remembered. Natsu then pulls out the wanted poster from her hand, and I get a good look at the thing finally. _"WANTED: Mountain Fist Aki." _The photograph is mine, from in Nanohana as I was running from the Marines. I've never had my picture taken before – it's strange looking at myself from any perspective other than a simple reflection. I've a frantic, but serious look on my face that well suits such a mug shot. _99,999,000 Berry reward…? Dang that's high… _The words "DEAD OR ALIVE" make me gulp. _I'm wanted… There'll be bounty hunters after me… and the marines as well. And this ain't never goin' away! I'm screwed! _I nearly fall into a fret thinking about it but stop myself, taking two deep breaths and closing my eyes.

When I reopen them, I ask Natsu if I can tear the poster into pieces. "Be my guest. It hurt to hold on to the thing." I happily rip it in half once, then again and again, then stand up and throw them all behind me, into the sea. "By the way, I discovered somethin' at Water Seven."

I don't turn back, instead watching the pieces of paper flutter about in the wind and find a place in the ebbing sea. "What's that?"

"Fisher Tiger."

I immediately turn around to face her. "You know where he is!?"

"You could say that. He's dead."

I gasp. "Dead!? When? How?"

"The story goes that he was fatally wounded by Marines, and then, because he was fishfolk, denied a blood transfusion and bled to death."

My body is unsure how to respond to that for a moment, then it gives a deep exhalation of breath, a loud sigh. _Dang… that ain't a right way to go…_ "So it's just Jinbei left, huh?" I say, looking off to my side, at the light waves splashing against the train. Natsu doesn't respond, but that's fine. A response isn't necessary.

I take a moment to recollect my thoughts, and turn back to Natsu, I hesitate a moment before speaking to her. "Speakin' a' Water Seven, I never got the chance to properly thank you for what you did for me back then." I wait for a response, but she doesn't give one. _Or maybe she can't. Maybe she doesn't know what to say. _"If it were anyone else…"

"If it were anyone else, what?" She follows. "God, Aki – now is **not** the time for your stupid romance shit!" Natsu rarely ever curses. "I don't wanna hear it!"

"I'm not! I mean… I ain't makin' fun or nothin'. I mean it!" I lower my voice. "I really do, Natsu. I always done told myself nothin' good ever comes outta gettin' too attached to people, but when I heard you was leavin', I… My body just moved on its own. I couldn't help but chase after you. Even though I didn't know where you was goin', even though I mighta lost my only chance at gettin' back to Fishman Island… the thought a' losin' you again… it hurt more than anythin'!"

We are in silence for a moment. Natsu still has nothing to say, and I know that was the end of the conversation. So I sit back down for a moment, a small handful of minutes, until an order from Jimminy comes from the speaking tubes.

"Aki!" He says. "We're coming up on Pomelania! We'll need all the power we can to get onto the shore and uphill into the heartland, so get to the boiler room on the double!" I lean over the side of the train and look ahead. Sure enough there's land, steadily approaching on the horizon. This is no small island, either – Jimminy told me the other day Pomelania is one of the largest nations in the world, just behind Alabasta as the largest in the Grand Line. The ocean meets the land ahead with a thin, sandy strip of beach, and beyond that green hills rising upwards towards the sky.

"Aye aye, sir!" I reply into the speaking tube. I look back at Natsu, who is on her feet, ready to leave. For a moment I can't quite think of what to say, if I should say anything at all. "Well, I gotta get goin'." I eventually stammer out.

I begin to turn around and leave but she stops me with a single "Aki." A brief pause "Look, I… I don't hate you. I was spiteful, and I was angry, sure. I still am. But I don't hate you, and I'm not gonna let you shoulder this burden all by yourself. We'll travel to Fishman Island together, and together the fallen'll be avenged." With a beaming smile I'd long since seen on her face, she adds "How's that sound?"

I nearly squeal with happiness from the gesture. "Madam Natsu, I'll be with you every step of the way, to the ends of the world!" She makes something in between a laugh and a sigh as she returns to the passenger cars, and I to my grimy work.


	66. Chapter 66

**Sixty Six – A Horizon of Fear! The Land of Hatred, Revisited**

Pomelania is a welcome sight. An autumn island, the land is filled with not only majestic beauty, but wonderful weather. After the rails take us onto land, the train starts moving at a slower pace, climbing rolling green hills littered with tiny flowers of all colors one could imagine, the fragrance of pollen heavy in the air. We pass by farms as well, old wooden fences marking off land. Some of their inhabitants wave to everyone on the train as we pass by. The train then takes us into a forest, where trees of vibrant autumn colors have scattered their leaves all about the forest floor and into the winds. As soon as we entered the country, all the passengers came to the windows to see the gorgeous landscapes. I too have found myself entranced by it all, especially once we ascend in altitude, up into the mountains. As soon as I spot the crowning peaks through the wild canopy, my soul is overtaken by a nostalgia so tremendous it nearly brings me to my knees. Though they are not as tall as those of my homeland, they are still a sight for sore eyes, and even more so the closer we get to them. The train weaves around the mountains, over valleys and rivers and even through tunnels, where all except for the beam of light at the head of the train piercing ahead are as black as blindness.

After a week of traveling through the Pomelanian heartland we reach the more populated half of the country and our first station, the capital city of Sverin. The train stays there for three days. I spend the first looking around the city at all the sights, but the second and third I simply lounge around on the train, playing cards with Jimminy, or chatting with Natsu, or both simultaneously. After Sverin, the rest of the trek through scenic Pomerania is downhill, through more rolling farmland, small towns we stop in for half a day, and eventually back onto the sea.

The train's last stop is Marineford, but my destination is Sabaody. I know this. I've prepared myself as best I can for returning to that place, but even nearly two years after my time there, the memories are still as fresh as ever. While I was walking around Sverin, I scoured the shops, scrounging up things for a disguise to suit me in the Archipelago. I came up with something too ridiculous to wear for more than a day, but I didn't have much of a choice if I wanted to keep from amassing a lynch mob.

"Gonna be a pain doin' the work again myself." Jimminy chuckles to me as the train chugs on quietly, the night before we reach the archipelago. It's been seven weeks since I hopped on this train, and they seem to have gone by so quickly I can remember Water Seven as clear as though it were yesterday.

"Sabaody's close, then?" I respond.

"Tomorrow morning. You know you **really** shouldn't go there…"

"I told you, I been there before, couple years ago. And lemme tell you, I learned my lesson the hard way. Ain't takin' no chances this time."

He isn't quite convinced. "Well, I hope for your sake you're right. This part of the sea's become a little more lawless this past year."

"Why's that?"

"After the battle of Marineford, the Marines relocated their headquarters to a similar location in the New World. Their protection over Sabaody isn't what it used to be now."

"Noted." I say. "But it ain't makin' me change my mind. My ride down to Fishman Island's parked in the Archipelago, so I ain't gotta choice."

Jimminy gives in. "Well… alright. That your disguise over there in the corner?"

"Yeah…" I stammer, then push it out of sight. "Yeah, that's it." _Just don't ask to see it, please._

* * *

The next morning, just as I am waking up, the giant mangrove trees come into view. All the other passengers are glad to see land again, but for me the sight brings with it a foreboding feeling of great fear. _Just don't talk to no one, and if someone finds out, just run. Don't stop for nothin'._

The train arrives with great fanfare, the residents happy to see its first arrival to their city. I on the other hand, am hiding, readying my disguise. _Natsu ain't never gonna let me live this down. _I put it all on, and with great trepidation walk into the passenger cabins once they clear out. As soon as I do, I come across who else but the woman I'm dreading most seeing me like this.

"…Aki? Aki, what in the world are you…?" Natsu is all ready to go, though with that Devil's Fruit power of hers she's always ready to go.

"It's my disguise." I say with a sigh. Atop my head is a tall, black top hat (the only one the hattery had that was large enough to fit over my head), and below that, covering my eyes and nose, a gold-painted mask like one might find at a rich theatre. My tentacles are all uncomfortably tied back with a scarlet red ribbon, and concealing the rest of my body is a large, flowing black cape.

She takes a moment to look me over. It's incredibly embarrassing. To be honest I'm surprised she hasn't burst into laughter by now. "Disguise? For…?"

_Oh. I s'ppose she wouldn't know, would she?_ "This place," I look to my left, in the direction of the city. "My kind ain't welcome here in Sabaody." I tell her how last time I was here I didn't know this, and was nearly killed and sold into slavery because of it.

"Slavery!?" She puts her hands over her mouth. I nod solemnly. "I'm so sorry! That's horrible!"

I grow a smile. "Aww! Madam Natsu, you ain't gotta be sorry for me!" I try to give her a hug, but she steps to the side and nabs my bundled-up tentacles, dragging me along.

Once we're out of the train, the crowd has thankfully dispersed for the most part. Still, being over eight feet tall and in a dramatic outfit, I draw many eyes towards me, but they only glance for a moment. _Just remember, it ain't cause you're fishfolk, it's 'cause you're wearin' a silly hat._ Natsu and I both make sure the other is at our side, then proceed into the station proper.

Apparently my outfit also makes me look rich, or perhaps the workers here are told to assist all passengers, as a young man in station uniform briskly makes his way through the crowd to Natsu and I, welcoming us to the archipelago. "Anything I can assist you two with? Do you have any luggage, ma'am?" He says, looking at Natsu.

"N-No, no. I'm fine, thank you." She replies.

"Well, if there's anything you two do need assistance with, please – don't hesitate to ask one of our personnel. That's what we're here for!"

His cheeriness is so poignant it almost makes me sick. But before I vomit all over his finely-shined shoes, I have to ask him something. "Actually, there is one thing." I say.

He looks up at me, eyeing my garb for a moment. _That's right, I'm just a regular ol' human. Nothin' fishy here. …Oh god that was terrible. _"Yes, sir?"

Natsu throws a small glance my way for just a split-second at the word 'sir'. _Don't say nothin', Natsu. Don't say nothin'. _She doesn't. I lower my voice just a tidge to play on the charade. "In what direction is the 40s district from here?"

"The 40s? Ah, you must be here to see the sights!" He beams. "They are on the northeastern edge of the grove. Is there a specific island you wish to visit?"

"No, no. None in particular." _I can't tell him that._

"Will you need transporation there?"

"Oh, that shan't be necessary, right honey?" I glance down at Natsu, who's already got the telltale sign of 'I am **so** sick of you doing that' in her eyes. I probably shouldn't have added that last word, but it was too golden an opportunity.

Thankfully, she plays along. "Yes dear, I do think we shall be fine on our own."

"Well… if you say so. However, I must warn you to take great caution as you travel through any island marked 0 to 29. They are… hmm, how shall I say… not the most choice of locales here in Sabaody."

"Duly noted." I find myself inserting a silly "rich man" voice into my speech."But still, I don't think we need to worry – the wife and I have a little fight in us!" I shouldn't have gone that far in the charade, as I glance down to Natsu, and she looks like it's taking everything in her not to explode. _Whoops, the jig's almost up._ "Thank you for the warning though, lad. We shall be off now!" I give him a tip of the hat, and he lets us go. We don't waste any time in leaving the station.

Once we are out onto the street, back into the morning daylight, I breathe a breath of fresh air. Natsu grabs me by my bundle of tentacles again and pulls my head downward. "Aki, when you die, I swear it'll be by my hand. Do you understand this?" She lets go, and returns to a (somewhat) settled down state. "Now where are we goin'?"

Holding back the melancholy sigh, I point to the east and respond "Grove 41. Least I'm pretty sure it was 41. 40-something."

"What's there?"

"Our ride." I answer, as we walk through the street, away from the station and the center hubbub of this particular island. "The folks I was sailin' with a couple years ago were headin' in that direction, and they let me tag along on their ship. If they stuck to the plan, they'll be coming back for it within the season. I figure we'll just hang out until then."

Natsu ponders for a couple seconds. "That's assuming the ship's even there."

"That's… true. Hadn't thought a' that."

"A couple years is a long time for somethin' to happen. In fact, I'd be surprised if somethin' **didn't** happen."

"Well, we'll burn that bridge when we get to it." I say, throwing my hands up. "Speakin' of bridges…" We turn a corner and the first bridge of many between islands is before us. A couple islands later we reach the shadier parts of Sabaody. They're much less developed than the other districts, and as a result, less populated. We only pass by a couple suspicious-looking characters, and of them, only one tries to pick a fight, but he's just talk – words are all it takes for him to leave.

Without planning to, I end up taking us to Grove 13. Everything's just as it was the last time I was here: Shakky's Rip-Off Bar is still the only structure present, standing in the center of the island atop a grassy bulbous hill. My first thought is to go in and say hi, but I quickly remember my previous visit ended in me smashing the bar in two. _If I set foot in there, I'll end up her waitress 'til I'm thirty. _So we pass by, quiet and quick.

At Grove 16, one away from leaving the lawless part of town, a group of men block our path just before the bridge out of there. A trio of thugs, they're all of a different shape and size – one is short and stubby, with closely cut green hair, another is tall and skinny, mysteriously lacking a chin, and the one in the middle, the one who looks to be the leader of their outfit, is of average height, fat, with greasy black hair and a face full of rough stubble. He also looks like he's had a few too many shots of rum this early in the day. All of them, however, look extremely weak.

"This is our turf!" The fat man drawls.

"You two gotta pay if you wanna cross this bridge." Hisses the skinny man.

"Yeah!" The short man adds in. "Fifty… or uh… sixty…" He turns to his counterparts. "How many Berries was it again?"

"A hundred thousand, you idiot!" Growls the fat man.

Natsu and I exchange a quick glance. "You ain't serious." I mumble.

The fat man's anger increases. "Ehhh? You got a problem with that, big guy!? Well, we'll see how tough you are when-"

He reaches behind to his back and starts to pull something out. I'm already on the move; I know what he's got tucked away back there – a pistol. I swoop in low, and before he even finishes the sentence, before the flintlock pistol is aimed at either of us, from several feet away I direct a burst of haki from a a punch right into the man's wrist, possibly breaking it, forcing the gun flying off into the air, and forcing the man to lose his balance. The fight over before it even began, I stand back up, looking down at the three idiots.

"Demalo!" The other two exclaim. "You!" The skinny man hisses. "What'd you do to him!?"

"I punched him."

The fat man stands back up, rubbing his pained wrist. "That wasn't no punch! You musta been five feet away!"

A stupid response forms in my head. "You are correct!" I exclaim, pulling my cape in front of me in a flowing sweeping motion. "For I am a magician! I need not even lay a finger upon my opponents to have 'em broken and defeated!"

Stupid as they are, they fall for it. "A… a magician!?" Cries the short man.

The fat man curses. "Damn it! I knew this wasn't gonna work! After Marineford, the Marines left, so I thought we could finally make some money without havin' to worry about them! But then all you freaks start showing up chasing after adventure and One Piece and all that stupid shit! How are we ever going to compete with pirates!?"

Natsu and I exchange another pair of glances. "Why not become one yourself?" She suggests. _Say what? That ain't like you to say somethin' like that._

"Become a pirate?" Says the skinny man.

"We could never do that!" The short man adds. "They're way too strong! Not like us."

"Oi, can it, Manny!" Demalo growls. But I can tell, he knows his counterpart is right.

"Well, you know what they say: 'Mariejois wasn't built in a day.' " Natsu says. The three give her dumb faces, not getting the analogy. "You can't expect things to happen instantly." She explains.

"You mean we can become strong?" Says the skinny man. "B-But how?"

Natsu looks for words to say. She glances my way, but I shrug. _Sorry Madam, I got nothin'._ "Well… um… why don't you look at famous pirates and do what they do? Be like them?"

"Be like them…?" Demalo repeats the words. "You know, that ain't such a bad idea." He clears his throat. "Alright! We've uh… we've decided to let you pass! But only because I uh… I really gotta take a leak! So go on!" He and his two lackeys run off, leaving the pathway open for us.

A moment of strange silence passes. "What just happened?" I ask.

"I don't even know." Natsu replies. I continue to lead the way, one more bizarre encounter under my belt.


	67. Chapter 67

**Sixty Seven – A Man's Hopes! An Unexpected Guardian Appears**

Traveling through the tourist traps of the 40s district, ignoring the pleas of waves of salesmen we're afraid will never stop pestering us, we reach Grove 41, but I can't see if the ship's here or not just yet. "I gotta say, I'm a might bit surprised, Natsu." I say. "Why'd you give them fellas that advice?"

Natsu scratches behind her neck. "What, to become pirates?"

I nod. "Last time I checked you hated pirates somethin' fierce. You have a… change a heart or somethin' while we was apart?"

"No." She says resolutely. "No, nothin' has changed in my opinion of 'em from then to now." She looks me in straight in the eye when she says it.

I gulp. _This… ain't gonna be pretty when she finds out that… _"Then why…?"

"I don't know, it's just what came out! What does it matter anyway? They were thugs; they'll end up in a Marine jail cell eventually, might as well speed up the process."

I try force out a small, wispy laugh, but it's filled with fright. "That's… a little rough, ain't it?"

She stops, and turns around to me. A gust of wind rustles vigorously through a nearby tree. "Are you sayin' they oughta be given the chance to absolve their sins?"

"Well, I… hrm… I mean, that is… if they shouldn't," I veer my glance the other way, "what's that mean for me?"

Natsu can't find an answer. Neither can I, so we continue on. Three dozen steps through the wet grass later, Natsu hastens her pace and repeats what she said before, more forceful than before. "No, my opinion of pirates is exactly what it was three years ago, and that includes-"

The end of her sentence is cut off like a blade ran straight through it. I catch up with her and see why. Around the corner, just over the hill's crown, the black flag with the straw-hatted Jolly Roger, the red and yellow striped crow's nest, and the tip-top of the Thousand Sunny's furled white sails.

Natsu stops a moment, assessing the scene, looking at me, then at the flag, then back at me again. Then, her eyes squint, in a vicious gaze that I can't help but cower back from. "That had **better** not be what I think it is." She snarls.

"N-n-now hold on just a second!" I exclaim, tearing off the mask. "They're- I know this looks- it ain't whatcha think, honest!"

"Pirates, Aki!? You expect me to sail with **pirates**!? Don't tell me… Are these the same ones what-"

"NO!" I yell. "No! No, no, no! These ain't like them! They ain't like most pirates, I swear!"

She crosses her arms and shifts her weight to one side. "Oh? In what way?"

"Well, they're- that is… they ain't the murderin', pillagin' type at all; they're like… they're more like a bunch a' kids goin' on an adventure or somethin', I guess. Madam Natsu, please! You know I wouldn't willingly sail with 'em if they was like… like you know…"

"The Sun Pirates." She answers, finishing my sentence.

"Y-Yeah… them." I try to grasp her hands to convey my sincerity, but she pulls them back before I can. "Just give 'em a chance, please! They'll be back for the ship in two months, so pass your judgment then, okay?" I clasp one hand in the other, and bend down a bit, begging. "Please? It's our ride to Fishman Island, remember?"

She thinks it over. _I know she ain't forgotten this's her only ticket down there. I just hope she's willin' to take it._ A moment of contemplation later, she exhales a heavy sigh through her nose, and starts to walk up the hill, towards the ship. "Fine. We'll wait on the ship for them to arrive." _Yes!_ Relief washes over me as a gentle sea breeze sliding down the hill. Natsu sighs once more, this one long, heartfelt. "I don't wanna think low of you Aki, I really don't. So I honestly, truly hope you're right about them." _Oh, don't worry Madam, you'll see when they get here. …They __**better**__ get here, after I said all that. _I run up the hill to her, and we continue up it together, more and more of the ship becoming visible with each step. When we come to its top however, an unexpected sight greets us. For Natsu, it is nearly an oddity, but for me, I am instantly filled to the brim with gut-wrenching fright. Sitting solemnly in front of the Thousand Sunny is none other than the goliath frame of Bartholomew Kuma.

"Who's that?" Natsu asks. "Is he one of 'em?" She turns to me, but I am frozen with fear, the whites of my eyes as wide as dinner plates. "Aki, you okay? Whatever – I'm gonna go talk to him." She starts bounding down the hill, watching her steps. I snap out of my fright just enough to chase after her, but words won't form in my mouth. _No, no, NO! I ain't losin' her! Not again! Not by you! _Summoning all my courage and will, I yell "Natsu, wait!"

She stops, catching herself in a couple steps, but she was not the only one to hear me. Bartholomew, the mechanical Tyrant, jolts to life. I freeze as well, just in front of Natsu, terrified, but determined to defend her if need be. Bartholomew rises to standing position, but it is not with ease he does so. In fact, he has great trouble moving at all. He staggers, his limbs looks like they are failing him, and loud zapping sounds of electricity cackle in the air. It is only now that I notice just how terribly hurt he is. Or rather, "damaged" would be the appropriate term, as all his wounds clearly show he is no longer a man, but a machine entirely. Clothing has been torn and skin burned off, showing all sorts of mechanical components: silver metallic plates, copper-colored cables and bands in place of muscles, even a large sword stuck directly into one of his arms. In what is remaining of his left hand is the same book he always carried, still clutched tightly.

_What's he doin'? How'd he get so banged up…? _I can't tell if his featureless glass eyes are looking at us or if he's even still alive or operating – he is as still as a statue. "A…aAk-Kｋｉ-I.i." His voice is distorted, muffled, barely even a voice at all. ",aɑKＩ Ｓi-nAa. ggr_ra,, A."

I don't know what to say. _Should I say anythin' at all? I should just run, right? _"Aki, what is this?" Natsu whispers. A bit of fear has found its way into her as well. "Is this… a person? It- he… said your name, didn't he?"

"Y-yeah…" I mumble, then raise my voice up to where Bartholomew can hear. "Yeah! It's me! I came back!" I take off the hat and cape, trying my best to stand tall and confident (although my knees are shaking). "I did just as you said, Bartholomew! I found King Cobra of Alabasta, and I said to him the words you gave me!" I have to take a moment to swallow the dryness in my mouth, my terror.

"g-G. ｇｏO—d." The broken man-machine sputters. "H , Hｅ- w-woO uｌD .Ｂ.e g-Gl_aAd ｔto-o H ,,heEAa.r: th-th.Aɑａｔ."

"What happened to you?" I ask. "What in the world did all this to you?"

Natsu steps forward along with me. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

Bartholomew takes a moment, moves his head just an inch, to face Natsu, then without a word, without anything at all, stubbornly raises a palm up and begins to charge one of his laser beam attacks, aimed directly at her. "No!" I yell and instinctively throw myself in front of her, spreading all my limbs out to protect her.

The broken machine-man takes another moment to analyze, then cancels his attack and lowers his arm back to his side, a jolt of electricity crackling as he does. "ɑ.aＡk—i-i ." His mangled voice spits. "i-iI,. ɑɑ:M n-o.oｔ t_hhｈ-e m..mAn y,o…u—u THhiｎｋ i.I-I a_mM."

"W-what?" I gasp. "Are you not the real Bartholomew Kuma? Are you another one of the... the whatchamacallits? Paci… paci-"

"pP aｃ_ci…i-ifｆｉissst…tɑ." He gargles. "Th-hiｉｓ BbｏＯD-Yy ｕｓ-Sed.d ,,t-O b—EL'on -g. t,to.. ｔhe r_rEA…lL KU:m–mɑaAA." A long pause of the sounds of failing electronics. "ｂb..uUT —h.e isss NO. mm_o-ｒｅe. _i AA.m- mME.Ｅｒe:ly f:ul-lf—il,liNg Hh-Is. ,,lɑs_t r-r.eｑｕe—s t, ɑ_s I.. _ｈａVvE b-e:en , pｒR;ogG rɑm:mｅｄ."

"His last… request?" I repeat. "What did he ask? What is it?"

Suddenly, as if by magic, his voice is restored. Or rather, it is not from his mouth that the sound comes from, but somewhere else, some speaker where a pre-recorded message plays from. "If you are hearing this, then I am already gone." His voice is the same calm tone it was years before, but there is something extra hidden in between the syllables. _He sounds almost… sorrowful. _"My consciousness has been eradicated; my mind, the last that was human in me replaced with machination. The only thing remaining of Bartholomew Kuma now is his will, his hopes. I give that to you now. I know not which of the Straw Hat crew will first come upon my broken husk defending your ship as I have had it programmed to do, nor even if my frame will survive the two years before your return, but if any are listening to this, know that none but the ten the Thousand Sunny has deigned consent to ride beneath her sails shall lay a hand on her in that time." He stops for a brief moment. "Lastly, to the young captain of this vessel, as well as to the fishwoman who sails with him, it is my hope that both of you shall meet with your respective fathers soon." My eyes open wide. "Long have both waited for such a meeting, and great will be the changes the world will see when you are reunited." A pause filled with tension, mystery, and intrigue. "That is all. These are the final words of Bartholomew Kuma."

The recording ends. For just a moment. The island is quiet once again. The pacifista-husk that was once Bartholomew Kuma then groans back to life. ".ɑ-s. Pp-rO..gr_raｍm—med: _Ｉ s-sh aLL, Ｌ:et–t Y,,oｕ en-ENtｅｒ _t.h-e s,Hi-Ip." He struggles to point a finger at Natsu. "ｓS-h…e -H-ho..w:evｖe_r SSt.a-y:s."

"What!?" Natsu and I both exclaim. "But she's coming with me- us! She's coming with us!" I protest.

The sound of metal scratching permeates the air as the pacifista turns its head slowly from side to side. "ｎ.O" It plainly states. "-i-I w..i-ｌl ｎO,t_ aL—lloOw i-T… TH..ｈe,, t,,e-N E:n-nTｅｒ , ,ɑnn-d .. o-nl_LY tT—he.e. T,eｎ."

_Damn! I ain't gonna be able to argue with this thing; it's a damn machine! _I glance at Natsu out of the corner of my eye. She's thinking as well. _So we don't go in then? It wouldn't be right to make her pay for a hotel or somethin' all this time. And I'm too big for her to smuggle me in with that Devil's Fruit power… if that even works on livin' things._

We both say the other's name simultaneously.

"Sorry, you go first." I say.

"No, no. You." She implores.

"You sure, Madam Natsu?"

"Yes, just say it."

"Well…" I bite my lower lip, afraid of how she's going to react to this. Looking up at the pacifista, I shout "Let her take my place!"

"What!?" Natsu exclaims. The pacifista take a few seconds to churn it through its head. Natsu grabs and shakes me at the elbow. "What are you thinkin'!? I stay cozy in the ship while you fight for survival on an island full of people that'll either kill you or lock you up in chains for the rest of your life? Are you mad!? You go in, I can rent a hotel or som-"

"V,,vEｒｙ. w—elL.L" Says the pacifista, who then returns to sitting, quiet and still.

Natsu gasps, letting go of me. "Aki, what have you done!? Why would you say such a thing?"

I lift my hands to meet hers. "I won't stay here." I say. "I'll go on ahead to Fishman Island," she gives me an eyebrow, "and gather as much intelligence to ready us as I can before you arrive with the Straw Hat crew." I can tell she doesn't like the idea. It rubs her the wrong way. It rubs me the wrong way as well. "Hey." I add. "At least I'm tellin' you this time before I go… right?"

She gives an extremely heavy sigh, one that tells me she'll allow it, at least. "Fine. But please, promise me two things."

A grand smile grows on my face. "Anything for you, Madam Natsu! I'd-"

"I'm serious here, Aki! Promise me you won't jump the gun and go after him before I get there."

I calm down, and with assurance, reply "Of course."

"And more importantly, promise me you won't die."

I laugh. "Shoot, Natsu, you know ain't gotta worry about that!"

"I'm not joking around! Our enemy is a Shichibukai – one of the strongest pirates in the world! It'll take everythin' we've got to take him down. 'We', Aki. Plural. Remember that, okay?"

"I promise, Ma- Natsu. I promise." I say with a bow. "Even if he hightails it outta there, I'll still wait for you."

"Oh. Well, I hadn't thought a' **that**." She scratches her cheek. "I guess if he flees, you can give chase. Just let me know somehow, okay?"

"Will do, Madam!" I cheer.

Grabbing her pack, she turns halfway towards the boat, glancing at the pacifista, then at Sunny, and then finally back at me. "I'm not sayin' goodbye."

"I ain't either."

"Because it **ain't** goodbye."

"Damn right it ain't."

We go our separate ways then, she to a ship, and I to the sea.


	68. Chapter 68

**Sixty Eight – Fishman Island Awaits! Ten-Thousand Meters Into the Deep**

Donning my disguise, I enter this horrible town one last time for two different reasons. One, I'll need food for the trip down. Two, I need to learn just what I'm in for swimming all the way down there. I have to be wily in my conversation to get people to spill the beings without revealing my species. So after I stock up on a nice amount of food rations that won't go bad in water, I reuse the magician persona from before and use my haki to perform some simple 'magic tricks' outside a popular little café/bar overlooking the sea on the edge of Grove 48. Being the city's center for tourism, a crowd of spectators easily finds its way to me. When I tell them I'm tired and need to take a break for a bit, one guy offers to buy me a drink in exchange for the show. We mosey on into the café, take a couple of seats at the bar, where he buys a pair of sodas, one for each of us. We clink the bottles together, take a swig, and I get to gleaming information.

"So you been doin' this magic gig for a while now?" He asks.

"Many years." I reply. "I've gone all over the Grand Line performin'.

"Ah, that must be nice, travelling the world. Where're you headed next?"

_Here we go._ "Actually, I was thinkin' of goin' down to Fishman Island." As soon as I say that, the bar goes quiet. _I hope I didn't just give myself away. _"I… say somethin' wrong?"

"Fishman Island?" Says my acquaintance, a tiny laugh in his voice. "Why the hell would you wanna go down there?"

"Unless you really like seafood!" A younger man blurts out. A number of people in the café chuckle.

_Phew. Looks like they still think I'm human. _"There somethin' I don't know about the place? All I ever heard is it's where all the merfolk and fishfolk come from, ain't it?"

"Exactly, it's just a bunch of dumb-brained fish at the bottom of the ocean." My friend answers, taking a drink from his soda bottle. For a moment, a spark of anger from the aspersion towards my species wells up in me, a strange feeling I never knew I could produce, but just as quickly as it appears it's gone, and I continue the charade.

"That so? Not so smart are they? You know, that works in my favor actually. The stupid make the best audience for a magician." I give him a mischievous grin, then take another drink.

The café gradually resumes its regular noise. The man sighs. "Well, if you're gonna go, I'm not stopping you. But do you even know **how** to get down there?"

_Bingo._ "Er- I was just about to ask that, actually."

He chuckles. "You really are an aimless vagabond of a character, aren't you? You gotta get a boat, and then coat the boat with the bubble sap that forms off of the trees here in Sabaody and go on down." Another drink. "It's probably not that easy, but it can't be **that** hard if the fishfolk can get up and down just like that."

_But __**how**__ do we get up and down!?_ "That's still ten-thousand meters below the surface! You're tellin' me they can just swim that distance?"

"Freaks, huh?" The man sneers.

"There's a current." The bartender juts in. Both I and my acquaintance turn his way. He's looking back at us, a balding mustached man washing the inside of a glass with a cloth, just like the iconic image of a bartender.

"A current?" I repeat.

"It moves in a giant spiral, vertically." He draws a circle in the air with the glass to illustrate. "They just ride it up and down." _So that's it, huh? That don't sound so bad at all! Well, if you're swimmin' it, that is. I reckon sailing a ship through one'd be a challenge._

"Hey, you know a lot, pops." My friend says.

"Worked here for twenty years. You learn a lot a' things."

I take one last gulp, downing the rest of the soda. "Well, thank you kindly, sir." I say to the man who paid for my drink. It must be all the fizz going to my head, because I get an incredibly stupid, yet so hilarious I can't resist not doing it idea. Standing up, I announce to the café entirely "And as thanks, I'll perform one last magic trick for all of you before goin'!" I hear a few sounds of appreciation, of anxiousness, as I walk to the exit. Standing underneath the doorway, I drop my pouch full of food and money and exclaim "In a flash... I'll transform myself…" I pull my cape around me and lower my head into it. "…right before your very eyes…" In one quick, exploding movement I loose free my tentacles, rip off the cape, mask, and top hat, and throw them across the café. "…into this!" My full self revealed, the café bursts into uproar. The man who bought me the soda does a spit-take, the bartender drops his glass, several men and women scream, and one person falls backwards in his chair. I can't help but burst into a wide grin. "Thank you! Thank you! And remember, the stupid make the best audience! Ryahahaha!" I grab my pouch and tear out of the café, then leap off the edge of the island into the ocean, laughing my ass off the whole time.

_Dang, magicianin's easier than I thought it'd be! Then again, they __**was**__ pretty dumb. _I stop for a moment to take one last look upwards, towards the surface, already at least a hundred meters above me, and expel the last bit of air from my lungs with a heavy, satisfied sigh. _I sure hope this ain't the last time I see the sun. Be safe, Natsu._ I smile. _Oh, who am I kiddin'? __**She'll**__ be the one keepin' everyone else safe. Ain't no monkey business around that girl. Heh… 'Monkey' business. I'm rememberin' that one. _Turning my gaze away from the light above, I swim downwards, with full determination that some day I will return to the surface world.

Down, down, down the roots of the mangrove trees grow. Massive, algae-covered columns that split into complex weaves the further down they go, I cannot see where they end._ They're so… huge! _One root alone is a dozen times thicker than a full-sized ship; it's staggering to think plants so large can even exist. The sun's ray penetrate the water in fragments, beams of shining light that paint the seascape a generous range of gorgeous blues and beautiful greens. Grand schools of fish swirl about in the underwater forest, chaotic trails of sparkling silver paint. But the further I descend, the larger the fish become, until I am no longer a giant, but an ant, one small purple dot darting about moving mountains of scale, fin, and tooth. I worry for a second, readying myself, should one of the Sea Kings set its sights on gobbling me up, but they don't seem to even notice my presence, or perhaps simply don't care. _Even if one did, I'm prob'ly be safer right along its side where it can't get at me than tryin' to swim away. I ought not to pretend I got speed on my side; __I ain't no mermaid (__nice as it might be to pretend)_.

Just then, as I am descending past a sea snake larger than a warship, I feel it. _The current!_ I am no longer only propelling myself through the water, but the water is also propelling me, downwards, further into the dark blue. Stronger and stronger the current becomes, until without warning, once I am far, far below the surface, the water yanks me to the side, off in one direction. _This must be it! – the top of the spiral! _I take a look at just where the water is taking me. It's not as bright down here, so it's not as easy to see, but I'm pretty sure off in the distance in the direction I'm heading is the Red Line. All around me are fish: large, small, of different colors, alone or in schools of thousands. I find myself not even paying attention to swimming anymore, I'm too enthralled by the vast myriad of creatures around me. _This is amazing… I could spend a lifetime here and never see a fraction of it all…_

Then suddenly, a large number of the fish, both large and small, swim away, out of the stream. I'm not sure why, but I think they're scared of something, just because of the gut feeling I've got in me as well that something nasty's up ahead. Sure enough, not far off is the Red Line, that never ending line of rock where I called home for so long, and just before that, the water simply drops. _A waterfall! No… that ain't possible! That's gotta be…!_ The current intensifies the closer I near the bend in the spiral current, stronger and stronger, until it's so fierce that I couldn't escape even if I wanted to. I ready myself, and then I hit it – the drop. I thought the current was powerful before, but this change violently pulls downward on my body with such force that it scrambles my head for just a moment. Once I've taken a moment to realign myself, I am greeted with a sight both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

Tentacles as massive as the mangrove trees of Sabaody twist and curl about the rock face of the Red Line, and in the center, two gargantuan eyes glow lamplight yellow. Larger than the entire city of Alubarna or Water Seven, this octopus is a Sea King among Sea Kings. I freeze, paralyzed with fear. A pupil so wide I could swim through it stares down at me as I pass by the giant creature. I thought I was moving fast, but it's so huge I'm barely making progress past it. It moves a tentacle with surprising swiftness, and the currents generated by it's movement suck me in and toss my body about for a moment, before settling down. _What's he doin'? What's he thinkin'? Am I gonna hafta flee… **Can** I even flee?_ I've such a fear in me that I can't even move a fin to turn around and face the creature. _It ain't attackin' me… or tryin' to eat me… Squid's close enough to octopus, ain't it? We're practically family! Maybe it'll just let me pass._

For whatever the reason, it does. It returns to its cove in the side of the Red Line and leaves me be. An enormous wave of relief flows through me; if I had the air to do so, I'd laugh at the miracle that I'm still alive and breathing.

Continuing down, the world becomes darker and darker. Glancing back up reveals only the thinnest of the sun's rays make it down this far. Below me is a lightless abyss, and I've no choice but to be dragged down into it. The temperature has dropped significantly, and the water pressure around me has increased. I hadn't thought of either of those things happening before coming down here, but if fishfolk live down here, our bodies must be designed to withstand both just fine… somehow. _There better be __**some**__ source a' light down here or I ain't gonna be lookin' too good… _Thoughts of me being swallowed whole by some deep sea creepy crawly Sea King without even realizing it fill my head. I try my best to throw the thought out, mustering what courage I can. I just keep telling myself that if my species originated down here, then down here I can survive. I can make it through. That alone keeps me confident.

* * *

How far down and how much time has passed I don't know, but long after I have dozed off unknowingly, I am unceremoniously, violently spat out of the current like unwanted baggage. I immediately find myself lost in the cold dark. My eyes adjusted all they could, but they cannot see in pitch blackness. _Shit… this ain't good! I wasn't s'pposed to leave the current this early… was I? Certainly the path to Fishman Island don't pass through a place like this, right?_ I try and feel the water around me for which direction the current is in, to try and return to it, but I've been thrown too far away; I can't discern which direction is which. My body starts to shake, my breathing becoming quick and sputtered as I start to panic, thrashing about, looking for something, anything other than darkness. I try to recall time, but without anything as a reference, time has lost its meaning. It could be one day or it could be two or three since I last breathed air.

But then, I remember. _The Pose! The Eternal Pose! It ain't to Fishman Island, but it'll still point me in the right direction! _I reach behind and grab my pouch, thanking my lucky stars it didn't loosen and fall off in the current. Feeling around, I find it, but quickly realize my folly. _But it's still too dark here! I ain't gonna be able to see which way the needle's pointin'._ The panic starts to creep into me again, so I grab from my pouch one of the underwater rations. It's only a bit of roasted seaweed, but I've worked up a real appetite with all this swimming, and it's been quite some time since I ate, how long I don't know. The food helps me calm down, so I tear open another ration and munch on it as well.

_There we go, just needed some food, I- hello… what's that?_ Sensory data greets my eyes in the form of a faint colorless glow. _Are my eyes playin' tricks on me?_ Regardless of whether or not it's simply a mirage of sorts, I swim towards it, and it gets brighter as I do. _Yes, it __**is**_ _real! _I hasten my pace until it's no longer a faint glow far away, but a bright orb floating in the water that illuminates everything around me. I poke the strange light, and it dances about in the water for a moment. _Just what is this thing?_ _Ah, who cares, I can see now! Now to just get that Eternal Pose out, and…_ While I'm reaching back to snatch the thing out however, an overwhelming feeling of dread seeps into me. My body stops, and my eyes grow wide with fear. _What is this…? Why do I feel… like this?_ Slowly, carefully, I turn around and am greeted with a cavernous mouth full of elongated, tree-sized teeth open wide, ready to devour its next morsel.

I open my mouth wide in a soundless scream. The angler-fish Sea King instantly moves, lunging forward. For just a split-second, I am actually in the thing's enormous mouth, but one powerful whip of my tentacles propels me back out, just barely escaping the jagged crag teeth clamping shut. The Sea King is on the attack again, but I am on the move as well, scrambling through complete darkness to escape as fast as I can. It dashes at me again with ferocious bites that reverberate the entire ocean around me. _It's right on my tail! I can't get away fast enough! _Another guillotine of teeth narrowly misses a fishwoman snack.

And then, a wall of rock. I run into it face first, stagger for just a moment, then instincts take over and I madly climb upwards (at least I think its up). The Sea King slams into the wall as well, taking a huge bite out of it. While it's busy spitting up rock, I see it – _My chance!_ I push myself off the wall with my feet and torpedo through the water, directly towards the top of the Sea King's head. Just as it notices me, I collide with its bony, scaly hide and latch on to the base of the stalk of the lure, digging in tightly with barbed tentacles. As expected, it writhes and thrashes furiously, so swiftly and so vigorously that it takes every bit of my strength to hold on. When my moment comes, when I can ready myself long enough for the decisive attack, I plant my feet firmly in the creature's flesh, and with my tentacles still latched on tight, raise a fist up, concentrate all the haki I can into it, then bring it down into the Sea King's skull, a river of tremendous force behind it.

A cracking sound resonates in the water and the giant monster comes to a still. My battle with it is over, I the victor. I take a moment to catch my breath, leaning against the lure. _I can't believe I fell for this stupid thing's trick. _I lightly kick the still creature with my heel, then pull out the Eternal Pose and take a look at it under the light of the lure, still shining. The compass needle is pointing upward, which is to be expected since Vivi said the city was on an island. But it's not pointing entirely up, instead diagonally in one direction – a direction perpendicular to the wall's face. _That way's east. _I put the Eternal Pose on one wrist as a bracelet, then ready myself to continue on, before this thing wakes up, if it's even still living. Before I leave it to whatever fate is left for it, I swim out to the end of the lure, and wrap my tentacles tight around the stalk, just before the glowing orb. Digging the barbs deep into it, I pull hard, tearing the thing straight off. When it's completely severed, a wispy stream of blood leaks out into the water. The body of the Sea King twitches a bit, then goes completely still. I proclaim it dead. I'm not sure if this thing I'm holding will glow for much longer, but I can't continue on without a light, so I might as well carry it along with me.

* * *

I continue deeper, always deeper, putting all my faith in the Eternal Pose. After an unknown time spent blindly speeding through the darkness, the last bit of light from the angler lure disappears. Fortunately, I've descended deep enough that far off in the distance, I can spot a deep red glow. So I have no problem throwing the nasty, dead hunk of flesh away. The water is much warmer down here, so I assume that reddish light to be coming from an undersea volcano. I've never seen a volcano before, but I've heard of them. _Scary things... Should I head closer? I kinda need the light. _I hold the Eternal Pose directly in front of my eye. I can just barely make out the needle, pointing in the direction of the volcano, slightly off to the left. _Well, that answers that question._ Swimming with the growing red light as my guide, I don't see much else swimming around with me. A few fish here and there or a school of shrimp (I manage to snag one for a snack as they flutter by), but nothing big enough to want to pick a fight with me. Certainly no more Sea Kings.

With the volcano closer, the water has become hot. It feels great, but I fear I shouldn't get any closer, else I get boiled. I can clearly see the volcano now – jagged mountainous terrain lies far below me, and jutting out from it is one, much larger crag, glowing an apprehensive reddish-orange, with a thick fountain of gas bubbles rising from the crater at its peak. It looks like it's part of a ridge, as I can spot a number of others, far off in the distance to the north and south. A low rumbling fills the water around me. _You ain't thinkin' a' explodin', are you? I've had enough trouble already, please don't._

Thankfully, it doesn't. After thirty minutes of taking the long way around, the angry mountain is no longer between me and the Eternal Pose's destination. There's another light in the distance, but this one is not the fiery red of a volcano – it's lighter, bluer. At first glance my brain thinks it to be sunlight, but it quickly corrects itself. _Ain't no sunlight down here, that's for sure. …But wait just a minute. Does that mean Fishman Island's all in the dark? Dang, I didn't think a' that…. But no, it can't be! Else all us fishfolk and merfolk'd be blind, wouldn't we? Wouldn't have no need for sight down here in the dark. _I think for a second or two. I notice the blue light's getting closer, but it is still terribly far away. _A queer little mystery, that is. Whatever, I'll figure it out when I get there… __**if**__ I get there. _I shake that pessimism out quickly. _No, Aki! You ain't gonna think like that. You've gone around the whole goddamn world, and now to the bottom a' the ocean – you __**ain't**__ dyin' before this is all over!_ I say that, but still I worry. But it is not my own safety that I think of. _But the others… Natsu and Monkey and all them other clowns on that ship. They ain't got the natural advantage I do for travelin' down here. How'd Ray say ships come down here? Coat 'em in a bubble a' that tree sap or somethin'? Sounds a bit crazy, but I guess it works. But dang, that ain't gonna protect 'em against that octopus, or any a' the other Sea Kings down here. Though I reckon they got a means to light the way, at least. That's good._ My nerves calm a bit. The light is even closer. _I swear that looks like sunlight! What the hell __**is**__ that?_ I glance down at the Eternal Pose. It's pointing directly towards the light. I need no other reason to dash towards it. Even though a part of me tells me it very well could be another trap, like that angler-fish, I'm drawn into it. Like a bullet I blindly pierce through the deep water, the light becoming brighter and brighter, banishing more and more of the darkness around me, until my eyes can no longer take it all in and I slow to a halt, closing them to let them adjust.

When I open them, a sight I could never have prepared for dominates all my vision. Fishman Island – the Ryugu Kingdom is before me, bathed in radiant light.


	69. Chapter 69

**Sixty Nine – A Shaky Alliance! Noah and the Murky Fishman District**

For a moment, I can't move. In my adventure, I've seen many a sight that would bring the heartiest of souls to their knees, but nothing like this. A light as fierce and bright as only the sun shines from above onto Fishman Island itself.

But just what that light is, I couldn't care less about right now, because the island is floating. I can't believe my eyes at first glance, but the entire island is encased, hundreds, maybe even thousands of meters above the surface, within an air bubble so enormous it's staggering to believe such a thing exists. A second, smaller bubble sits high above Fishman Island, and below is a grand underwater plain, with sweeping valleys and wave-like plateaus, filled with life both tiny and gargantuan. Far in the distance to the left is a third bubble, almost as large as the one encasing the island proper, sitting over a thick, green and pink treed forest like a translucent dome.

_I made it! I really made it!_ My heart is so elated at the sight I would fear it might burst straight out of my chest. I can't contain my excitement anymore; completely revitalized, I swim up towards the floating island with breakneck speed, ignoring everything else but my destination for so many years, right in front of my eyes.

But then, something I can't ignore. Something I haven't heard in days – a voice. "Hey! Who's that up there!?" it shouts. It doesn't sound angry, like a one demanding the visitor to his kingdom identify themselves, but still I stop, and look about for the man who called out to me.

It only takes a second, as I feel the water currents of some creature approaching me from behind. I spin around to spy a fishman approaching me. My first reaction upon seeing a fishman still, after all these years, is a defensive one, readying myself for a fight, but I immediately realize he's not looking to pick one with me. I get a good look at him. He's tall, at least a foot taller than me, with sickly yellow skin, a thick neck as long as his torso, and a face far more fish than man, with a reptilian beak filled with pointed teeth. _He looks like he don't even realize how ugly he is. This can't possibly be what the normal fishgirls go for… right? _Atop a head of dark, curly hair he wears a black hat, and over his arms is a similarly black jacket, opened up to reveal his chest. On one side of his abdomen I spot a red tattoo I mistake for the Sun Pirates' symbol for a moment, but realize it is only similar – instead of the circle colored in red, it is transparent, with a line dissecting it, as well as the image of a headless stick figure, in two. I study the symbol for a second, then shelf it in a corner of my mind for later.

"Hey, I don't think I've ever seen your face around here before, babe. Where you from?" It takes a second for me to remember how conversations work. I'm supposed to say something in return, but of course I can't. I motion about in the water, trying to get the message to him. "Something up?" He says, then puts two and two together. "Oh, you're a Stormie, aren't you?" Every time I hear that word it sounds it should be a slur. I nod vigorously. "Leaving home? Or… going back home? Wait." He reaches into a pocket. "I should quit asking questions if you can't answer them." He laughs, and pulls out something, small tubular red thing. "I always keep a Bubbly Coral on me." He grins, revealing his zig-zag teeth, then squeezes one end of the tube. Out from the other end a bubble grows, inflating with air to a size large enough to stick one's head in. _A queer little contraption. Useful though, I guess. Especially for humans. _He hands me the coral with the bubble still affixed to one end, and I (with a bit of hesitance) stick my head inside and inhale.

The air tastes weird. "Thanks." I say, as if testing my voice to make sure it still sounds the same.

"Don't mention it." He replies. "Name's Hammond by the way. So which side of the Line'd you come from? Paradise or the New World?"

_'Paradise'? _"The first half." I answer.

"So I guess you're heading back home then?"

"No, I'm- look, I appreciate this, but I been swimmin' for days straight with nothin' but a couple leaves a' seaweed to eat, so I really just wanna find somewhere to sit down, rest my tentacles for a spell, and get me somethin' to eat. I ain't tryin' to be offensive or nothin'," I glance for a split-second at his tattoo, "but I just wanna hurry. I got business to take care of too."

"Business?" He replies. "What kind?"

I stammer for a second. "Uh… findin' someone."_ Should I tell him who? No, best not. Not before I learn how things work down here._

"Well…" He stretches out the word, while scratching the side of his long neck. "If you're looking for someone, I know a guy who might be able to help you." More zig-zags. "Not easy for someone who's not from around here to go alone, you know."

I want to contest, but he's got a point. _Might as well. Not like I ain't got time if his 'guy' don't know a thing._ "Sure. Fine. I'm still hungry as hell, though." I say, keeping from sounding too interested in his proposal.

His grin grows. "Well, follow me then, and I'll show you to him! And I'll getcha a bite to eat as well! Oh, and you can keep the coral. We got a million of 'em back at Noah."

"Sure thing." He takes off not in the direction of Fishman Island, but further down, towards the sea bed, where in the distance is a slightly darker part of the underwater plains, and something massive I can't quite make out. _Noah…?_ _Is this place not a part a' Fishman Island?_ I start to ask him, but he's already gone off, and I don't feel like breathing in more of this weird-tasting air than I have to, so I pop the bubble, stuff the coral into my pouch and follow after him.

* * *

We swim to a gigantic ship resting at the bottom of the ocean not far from the main island, underneath the shadow of a tall cliff, with streets of abandoned houses outside the ship. Thriller Bark is the only vessel I know of that could compare in size to this thing – one could probably fit an entire city's population inside it. _Everything down here is so… __**huge**__! _Noah, Hammond tells me, is the ship's name, but most people refer to the area as the Fishman District. I wonder on that for a moment. _Wonder why they call it that… Maybe this where most a' the fishfolk live? I wonder… surely there ain't discrimination between merfolk and fishfolk… right?_ There is no bubble surrounding the district. _Guess there ain't no humans here, then. _That's a strange thing to think about. _All a' this place is strange._ I hadn't realized it before, but this is a place is exactly the opposite of everywhere I've ever been before. _Down here, __**we're**__ the norm… __**we're**__ the ones in charge… not humans…_

Inside the boat is indeed a society of fishfolk. I sense a strange sort of solidarity among everyone here, but it is not one of a peaceful community. _It's more like a gang. _Here and there I even see a human, much to my surprise, with a bubble around his (I don't see any women at all) head. He always looks frightened. They remind me of the slaves in Sabaody – broken, hopeless. _They ain't slaves, too… right?_

"Hey fellas! The boss in?" Hammond calls out, as he enters a wide open room. I can hear a number of people inside. I hesitate for a second before following him in. Inside is an open hall with a large amount of gruff-looking fishmen scattered about. A crowd is partially gathered around a large something turned over onto the ground to make a spacious bench. On it one figure sits, and my instincts tell me he's the one in charge around here. A large fishman with ashen grey skin and curly black hair spilling out behind his head from a salmon pink cap. He's got a large jaw housing a number of triangle shark teeth, and below that a thin black vest is open, revealing a large belly that holds the same headless human tattoo. As soon as I look him over, he does the same to me.

"The hell's this?" He says. His voice resonates powerfully through the water. "You get a girlfriend, Hammond?" He has a laugh, and a number of the fishmen around him echo.

"N-nah, nothing like that!" Hammond responds. I spot him blush, and a sickening feeling wells up in me for a moment. "I'm just recruiting, boss! L-like you told me too!" _Recruitin'? I didn't say nothin' bout…!_ I reach into my pack to grab the bubbly coral so I can give this guy a piece of my mind.

The shark fishman's eyebrows travel up his brow as he looks my way. "Ohh? Got something to say, woman?" _Yeah, but damn it – gimme a second._ I pull out the coral and the fishman boss squints for a moment. As I squeeze out the bubble, he grows a look of disgust, and turns to Hammond. "The hell'd you bring a Stormie for?"

I get the bubble around my head and take in a breath of stale bubbly air. "Somethin' wrong with that, big guy?"

Their boss scoffs at me. "You can't even speak underwater; what use would we have for low-blood filth like you!?"

I scowl at him. "Well it's a good thing I don't give two shits about joinin' your little ragtag group a' knuckleheads then."

The gang's boss gets angry, and his crowd follows, as expected. "You've got some nerve, woman, talking down to us like that!"

"Damn right I got some nerve! I only came here on account a' your buddy here." I nod my head to Hammond. "He told me you'd help me find someone."

"And now you expect our help!? Who the hell do you think you are!?"

"B-but boss! I… I thought she'd be… you know, a good fighter! Stormies are strong, right?"

The boss sneers. "Like brutes. Uncivilized, low-blood brutes." He says with a toothy grin. _This bastard… I mean… I admit I'm kind of a roughneck hillbilly… but ain't nothin' wrong with that! _"So, tell me Stormie – who's this 'someone' you're after?"

I hesitate before answering. _Now how'll they take this, I wonder? _"Jinbei."

The room gasps. "Jahahahaha!" The shark boss laughs. "Interesting, Stormie, interesting!" He stands up. There's an aura of power about him. It's not at all strong compared to the monsters I've come across in my travels, but it's certainly formidable. "Let's make a deal." He says, cracking his knuckles. "If you can best me in combat, I'll give you a hand in finding Jinbei. But if you don't, then you're **our** brute, to do with as **we** please." His sneer grows. "Sound like a deal, Stormie?"

I don't even bother taking a moment to think it over. "Deal." _I'm gonna wipe the seafloor with this asshole._ Though I've not the hard gravity to hold me in a good stance, I'm more than ready. He looks the same. The crowd clears, giving us generous room for our fight.

"Confident! Hah!" The shark boss exclaims. "Alright woman, let's see how far that confidence extends!" With a sweeping back movement of both arms, he pulls the water with him, in such a way that I can see the liquid's movements, solid streams arcing back, seeping off his hands, and then in a vicious slash of the hand, the water changes shape, from smooth and flowing streams, to sharp and deadly needles, racing towards me.

I've no time to dodge. The needles impact, then vanish back into the normal water. The crowd cheers, no doubt assuming me to be defeated, But I'm not. _Damn good thing I learned how to control haki when I did. My turn now, asshole._ In an instant, giving no one the time to process how I'm still alive and standing, I dash at the man like a spiraling javelin, and land a vicious right hook into his cheek. He topples over onto the ground, bounces off, then catches himself before he falls again. A small bit of blood seeps out his mouth into the water. I throw a mean grin at him. "That all you got, big guy? And here I thought I might get a fight."

My taunt works, but it isn't the boss who talks back but one of his lackeys, a short, quick-tempered little fishman with wide-open eyes and a big mouth. "Hey! You can't talk to Boss Hody like that!"

_Hody…? Why's that sound so familiar? _"Stay outta this, Daruma!" The boss yells. "So, you've got fight in you! Not bad, not bad. I suppose the Storm's raw strength is something to be appreciated." He smiles shark teeth and licks the blood from his lips. "Zeo." He says, turning to one of his right-hand men, a skinny, strangely-shaped fishman with striped blue and purple skin. "What's the progress on the Tamatebako?"

"The Energy St…?" The man trails off. "Er… they're still not ready."

Hody sighs. "A shame. I thought I might get to have a little fun in our fight, Stormie." He says, looking my way.

"You givin' up already? You ain't forgot our deal, have you?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll-" Hody begins, but is cut off.

"G-give me about a week and I'll be able to mass-produce them, Hody!" Zeo adds, trying to keep favor with his boss.

I pound a fist into my palm in realization. "Hody!" I exclaim. "Hody Jones!"

The shark fishman's eyebrows raise. "Yeah, what?"

"Now I remember where I heard your name! I met your brother, Jeff, up on the surface!"

Hody takes a split-second to register the name. When he does, his shark grin fades and turns to a scowl. "Brother? No brother of mine would be a dim-witted, backstabbing, human-loving low-blood like him!"

"Backstabbin'…?" I repeat. "Dang, he weren't nothin' like that. Gave me a free ride all the way 'cross East Blue. Well, not _totally_ free…" I start to say, then remember the deal I made with him. "Tell you what, big guy. How 'bout we make a different deal? You and your boys sound like you've got a fight ahead a' you. I'll help ya'll with that, if ya'll help me track down Jinbei."

Hody thinks for a moment, sitting back down on the bench I found him on. Everyone else is silent, not daring to interrupt their boss's thinking. "Jinbei is not on Fishman Island," he answers, "but I know his location. When we have control of Ryugu Palace, I will tell you where he hides."

"That a yes?" I respond. "How do I know I can trust you on that? I been double-crossed too many times to take a man on his word alone."

He sighs again. "I already gave you a vital piece of information, Stormie. Don't test my patience." He extends a hand. "Shall we shake on it?" With hesitance, I take a moment before closing the distance between us and grasping his hand. His shark grin reappears, and with his other hand, he swiftly flings a single needle of water my way, but only to pop the bubble around my head. "We don't wear those around here, Stormie." I throw a reserved scowl his way, but keep my anger to myself. _It's all for the greater good, Aki. This scumbag's your ticket to Jinbei. Just keep rememberin' that._


	70. Chapter 70

**Seventy – Scuffle in the Café! New Enemies and Old Friends**

I swallow a lump in my throat. Before me is the entrance to Fishman Island.

Before, after my extremely brief duel with Hody, I left Noah to go and finally see Fishman Island, but not before being handed a tiny little aquatic Den Den Mushi. _It's even got little gills. That's almost… cute. _"Expect a buzz within the next couple a' days or so." One of Hody's lieutenants, a tall, squid-type fishman told me. Unlike me however, he doesn't have tentacles, but three extra pairs of arms. _I dunno how he don't get 'em all tangled up. Though, I guess people wonder the same about me. _"Maybe even later tonight. We'll let you know then what we need you to do. Oh… and don't mention Jinbei's name up there. He's a sort of a… touchy subject, if you know what I mean. You'll draw attention to yourself throwing his name around." I nodded, curious, but too lazy to make a bubble to ask further, and instead swam out of the giant boat into open waters.

And now, after a decent swim here, I hover in the water, directly in front of the wide, circular gate affixed into the island-sized bubble. Two soldiers guard the entrance; both are eyeing me as I begin my approach towards them. One is a fishman and one is a merman, both of some generic fish-type, the kind who, ignoring our species' trademark attributes like gills and fins, look more human than fish. I decide to try my luck and just casually stroll in, and luckily, it works; the soldiers don't say anything to me as I pass through the gate.

Inside, I swim through a large tunnel, built big enough to let large vessels in, and as I am doing so I realize that Fishman Island is encapsulated not only by one massive bubble, but two, one inside the other. Between them is a thick layer of air it looks like. _Fail-safe in case one breaks? Or maybe some kinda defense mechanism? Eh, who knows._

At the other end of the tunnel is a similar gate along the inner bubble, with two similar soldiers watching over it. Passing through puts me in an ocean environment I am far more used to. Above me the light like the sun shines through the white wavy lines of the surface. Elated to see such a sight, I dart up until I break through the edge between water and air, and as soon as I do, though I mean to take a great gulp of air in, I am left breathless. If I didn't know any better, I'd say I was truly back on the surface, ten-thousand meters above, looking at the real sky, the bright light above looks so like the sun. _I'd forgotten all about this mystery. Where __**does**__ that light come from? Hmm… maybe I can ask one of the locals. Yeah… yeah! That's what I'll do._ Diving back just under the surface, I speed off, further into the island's center, where in the distance I can spot a shore.

The coast, on the other hand, is not at all like that of the world above. Streams of water snake through the sky in impossible floating archways, coral grows like trees both below and above the water, in all colors and varieties, and the sand on the beach sparkles brilliantly. And atop those rainbows are a number of…

_M-mermaids! _About four or five mermaids are basking on the beach, their young, beautiful bodies soaking in the gentle rays, their laughter warming the air, it melts all my worries away. "Madams!" I exclaim, from out in the water. I see them stop and look out my way. Sparing not a moment, I swim to shore, and when I'm close enough, burst out into the air and onto the beach.

But my legs give way, and I end up falling face first into the warm sand. The girls all start to laugh. I immediately, pull myself up by the tentacles, wipe the sand off my face, then roll onto my side and with a smile, shoot my best "I meant to do that."

They only continue to laugh in response. "You're a new face." One says. Her voice, dark and sultry, gets my heart pumping. I roll over to the other side to meet eyes with hers. She is a perfect specimen of beauty: flowing waves of golden hair, flawless alabaster skin, a gorgeous face, a perfect body wearing naught but a seashell bikini, and a glistening sky blue tail below her torso. I look from her to all the others. _They're all… just as gorgeous! This… this must be heaven; it's too good to be true!_

"Can you talk?" Another says, quieting a giggle.

"Ye… uh… yeah! Yeah, 'Course I can! Ya'll are just..." My cheeks are burning. "Ya'll are just so pretty you put me at a loss for words!"

"Ooh, that's an accent." A third remarks. "You're definitely not from around here."

"No, I- er… I'm…" My tongue's all caught in my throat. "I ain't- I'm not from around here, no," I try to push myself to my feet to stand… "I'm from thwwuuuaghwhoa!" …but as soon as I do, my legs once again give way underneath me and I fall again to the sand. All the mermaids burst into laughter.

"Thwwuuuaghwhoa?" One laughs. "I've never heard of there. Have you, Ishilly?"

"Somewhere in South Blue, isn't it?" A mermaid with a black and white-striped tail responds.

"Ah, South Blue..." The first pretends to recall.

Nearly dying of embarrassment here, I recoil, lying down with my face covered up in a mass of tentacles. _Stupid legs…! The hell's wrong with you two? Of all the times to make me look like a fool!_

"Aww, she's hiding!" Comes a mermaid's voice. "Adele, you were too mean."

"I ain't hidin'!" I shout, but it comes out merely as an angry mumble. I hear them talking among each other in hushed tones. _Aki, you blew it! They're talkin' about you – "Who's this loser fishchick?" "Is she trying to be cool?" "Was she flirting with us?"_ As I'm wallowing in self-pity, their voices disappear. I open an eye and find I'm all alone now; they left.

A deep sigh escapes me and mixes in with the soft sound of the waves brushing against the beach. I glance down at my legs. _It's cause I ain't used you for days, ain't it? _I yawn. I can't remember the last time I got a decent sleep. _I'll get you two workin' again later. Too tired now._ My energy totally drained, it doesn't take long at all for me to drift away into sleep.

My dreams are nightmares, but nothing of the horrifying, prophetic sort. No, it's those mermaids. They're all laughing at me again, and they brought friends to join them: Madam Nico, Namizou, even Natsu. One woman's voice isn't laughing however, and it's only because someone back in the real world is trying to wake me up.

"Akkin!" The voice exclaims, overjoyed. "It **is** you!"

Shaken awake by her outburst, I try to look around but everything is all blurs and glaring lights. Slowly I rise to a sitting position and rub my eyes.

"You know this chick?" Another woman's voice, this one not bubbly as the first, asks.

"She's the one I told you all about! The fishwoman I met in Sabaody two years ago!" That jolts me awake. My sight back to me, I look towards the voice and see a face I hadn't seen for some time.

It takes me a second to remember her name, but I recognize her short, sea-green trim and smiling face anywhere. "Keimi!" I exclaim. Along with her are a couple of the mermaids from before. They've all got bubbles around their waist, like floatation devices humans wear, but these are to keep them hovering in air, not floating on the top of the sea.

"Yay! You do remember me!" She cheers, and throws herself onto me in a hug. I can't help myself. Her boobs get just one millimeter too close to my face for me to not contain a massive nosebleed. She shrieks in response. "I'm sorry, Akkin! Did I hurt you?"

"I… don't think that's why…" one of her friends begins.

"I'm- I'm fine!" I cut in, before I'm embarrassed by these girls yet again. "I'm just… so excited to see you, Madam Keimi! Yeah! Excited!" I smile, wiping the blood off with a tentacle.

"Me too!" She smiles back. "Ray told me you all would come back eventually, but still I thought I might never see you again! Is Luffy and everyone else with you too?"

"Ah… no." I say, and instantly I can see her smile start to fade. "I ain't with 'em no more… but they oughta be here soon! In uh…" _How long's it been now?_ "…two months or so!"

"Really?"

"Really!" _I say that, but… _Being careful standing up this time, using my tentacles as balance, and bending my knees a few times to get the blood pumping, I decide to change the subject. This one needs to go. "So uh.. hey! Since I ain't never been here before, any a' you lovely madams willin' to show me the sights?" I flash my best smile, keeping wobbling to a minimum.

Her friends give me creeped-out smiles, but Keimi's is genuine. "Sure! I'll show you around, Akkin!" _Ahh… she's so adorably clueless. _The two of us leave the beach, further inland into the woods of coral and shining water.

* * *

It is not long before we reach the city, and though I'd seen so many of my kind in one place before already, down by Noah, it still takes me by surprise. There are merfolk and fishfolk aplenty, of so many sizes and shapes and colors… _It's amazing to think they're… __**we're**__ all the same people… _What really shakes me is that no one here shoots me more than even a passing glance, absolutely nothing like the world above I've only known. I on the other hand, find myself staring at everyone who passes by. _Mermaid, fishman, merman, another mermaid, two more fishman, fish…_ I let out a loud gasp. _Is that a… a… another fishwoman!? _ It is of course, but I can barely believe my eyes; I've never seen another before. She looks several years older than I, with skin a faded cobalt blue, and a long, slender fin along each arm.

"Akkin?" Keimi shouts. "You coming?" She's gone on ahead

"Y-Yeah! I'm comin'!" I reply, and catch up to her. "Just a little uh… tired, that's all!" I say, with a yawn only half-genuine. "Haven't had a good, long sleep in weeks."

She cries out in surprise. "Weeks!? That's no good!" She thinks for a second. "You can crash at my place then!"

I gasp. "Your place? M-Madam, you don't hafta-"

"It's fine! I can show you around the city tomorrow!"

_Madam, that ain't what I meant by… Never mind._ I give up trying to be humble and thank her for her kindness.

As we head to the dormitory where she lives, I discover another large surprise about Fishman Island. It is spread out over the landmass not only horizontally, but vertically as well. When we reach the center of the city, we come upon a great pool of water with numerous streams of water bursting out of it to snake about in the sky. At first I think it's just a strange pond or something, but when Keimi pops her bubble and hops in, and I join her, I discover an entire new world below us. The city goes down, down, far down into the island, a grand spiral chasm submerged in water, with tunnel-like streets leading every which way. It's so strange to behold: the buildings here aren't built from the ground up, they're built into the ground itself. I spy stores, restaurants, houses, apartment complexes, theaters, all made out of coral and rock, just like the city above, but here everywhere is glowing in fluorescent light – everything is so dazzling and brilliant that I don't know where to look first. I **should** be looking for Keimi, as she has to call my name again to break me out of my country-bumpkin-in-the-city stupor.

I almost lose her a couple more times, not because I stop and stare at things (though I do do that on a number of occasions), but because she's so damn fast. I'd known for ages merfolk are the fastest swimmers in the sea, but I'd never seen proof. Keimi puts any doubts to rest. Being unable to call out to her underwater, I'm afraid I'll lose her and be lost, but I manage to keep sight of her until we arrive in her hole-in-the-wall dormitory, deep into the city's bowels. When she opens the door, I'm surprised to find half the inside is filled with air. "Well of course!" Keimi says, as we enter. "How would I cook food underwater?"

_That… ain't what I was thinkin' about._ "So… this is your place?" I say, as I climb out of the water onto a sofa made of coral, with a strange jelly-like cushioning. Princess Vivi often tried to get me to work on my socializing, despite my general lack of enthusiasm, and would always tell me to just start with small talk, that the conversation would start itself. Every so often I remember her words, and give it a try.

Keimi nods. "It's lame, I know. I'm studying to be a fashion designer, and this is one of the school's dormitories. Well… it's actually more of a sort-of dormitory, as they let other people…" I already find myself dozing off. _Sorry, Madam Princess, it just ain't for me…_

* * *

I don't know when I lose consciousness, but when I regain it, I'm fully revitalized and feeling fantastic, better than I have for some time. As soon as I move to stretch my limbs, a number of small voices respond.

"She's awake."

"She **is** awake!"

"She isn't awake."

"She might be awake."

"So what if she's awake?"

Opening my eyes reveals five little mermaid girls, all crowded around me, wide-eyes and curious. They look so alike they must all be sisters. They may even be quintuplets. I blink a couple times in surprise before saying anything. "Ah… hello there, little madams." They keep staring. "Madam Keimi- is she uh…"

Speaking of the devil, she appears, out from a second room. "Ah, Akkin! You're finally awake! You've been sleeping for over twelve hours now! It's already morning!"

I stretch again. "Certainly feels like it. Sorry if I been a pain, Madam."

She assures me I've been no trouble. "Oh, and I see you've already met the Medakas! Go on girls, introduce yourself!"

"I'm Ichika!"

"Nika!"

"Sanka!"

"Yonka!"

"Yonka Two!"

They then end with a simultaneous "So what's your name?"

"Aki. Aki Sinagra." I answer, trying to stifle a yawn as I do.

"Sinagra?" One of them repeats. "That's a weird name."

"Look, she's a Stormie!" Another (Ichika… I think) exclaims, spotting my gills poking out from the bottom of my tanktop.

"She **is** a Stormie!"

"She isn't a Stormie."

"She might be a Stormie."

"So what if she's a Stormie?"

"Yeah, so what if I'm a… if I'm from there?" I say, agreeing with the oddly named Yonka Two. The five sisters, without an answer, simultaneously all become bored and flutter about the house, doing whatever. Keimi tells me she used to babysit them regularly when they were younger, that now they're simply good friends with her, and come hang out at her place all the time. The conversation then moves to this and that, to the Straw Hats and then to news of the surface world, and then to the Straw Hats again. I think about mentioning Jinbei to see if she knows anything, but I remember the words of Hody's right hand fishman. _He said Jinbei's a touchy subject. Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Fella __**was**__ a notorious pirate, after all. And then he up and joined the government. Although, come to think of it – Madam Keimi was friends with that other Sun Pirate, the octopus. So she might be on good terms with Jinbei as well. Which means if she finds out what I'm gonna do to him… Dang! That other squid was right – I ain't gonna be able to throw his name around easy like down here. Best not say anything at all then to Madam Keimi. 'Specially if I'm getting free room and board from her – last thing I want is to get on her bad side. …If she's got one._

The next day she takes me around the city to show me the sights. We swim up a current of water that ascends even past the surface and turns into one of the floating passages of water I saw streaming through the air yesterday. It takes a moment to get used to; I feel as though I might fall out any moment, but Keimi tells me the key is to simply not fight it and let the water take me where it will. So I follow that advice, and find the ride turned into a smooth and pleasant one.

The first stop is to introduce me to her mentor and good friend, a little starfish-person-thing by the name of Pappug. The guy's a big-name fashion designer with his own line and everything. His part of town is ritzy – big coral trees and seashell mansions. I don't fit in here, and as so, the first thing the starfish does upon noticing me is comment on how horrible my clothes are, and insist he "fix me up" or something. He then goes on to try and explain the aesthetics of fashion or some such blather, but Keimi and I are both pretty much ignoring him by that point.

The next stop is the expansive Gyoncorde Plaza, right in the center of the city. Keimi tries to give me a brief history lesson, but she forgets bits here and there. "Basically, the late Queen was assassinated here, in broad daylight, by human pirates. Her death and the death of Fisher Tiger made it even harder for people to accept humans."

The name of the Sun Pirate captain heats my blood, but I keep it at a mere simmer as opposed to an angry boil. "Fisher Tiger…" I repeat, solemn, trying my best to hide the raw emotions. "I heard about him. Fatally wounded by the Marines and then denied a blood transfusion 'cause he was fishfolk, right?" I ask to confirm what Natsu told me.

Keimi nods. "That's the story. It's really sad." She grows downtrodden, but in a miraculously quick transformation, changes back to her normal, bubbly self. "Hey, lemme show you where I work! Okay?" My anger vanished, I nod, returning the smile, and follow her to a tram station. We only wait for a few minutes before a large orange fish arrives to take us wherever we need. I have my reserves about climbing inside a living animal, but Keimi ensures me it's fine, so I go along, even if it does creep me out. The fish-tram takes us back to the shore, and when we exit the first thing I notice is the crowd is much younger here, and more pertinently, the girls are a lot prettier. She takes me to a place with the words "Mermaid Café" carved in a cursive hand above the entrance. "Here it is!"

"You work at a… café, Madam?"

"Yep! Oh, and so do some of those girls you met at the cove!"

My heart skips a beat. _This is your chance, Aki! Redeem yourself! Hope ain't lost yet!_ Keimi floats on inside, and I take a moment to straighten myself up before following in.

Inside is like a dream come true. A slightly perverted dream. Several young mermaids, each more gorgeous than the last, are scattered about the café, taking orders from customers, or delivering drinks, or simply just being eye-candy. Each one has a uniform of nothing more than a tight black t-shirt just barely covering their midriff, and it is at that exact moment when it finally dawns upon me that mermaids are completely naked below the waist. The nosebleed stays in… somehow.

Two of the girls not doing anything in particular notice Keimi and give her a cheery hello. I recognize one of them from the cove. "Keimi? I thought you weren't scheduled to work on Wednesday?"

"I'm not." Keimi replies. "My friend here's new in town and I'm showing her around!" She turns back to me. "Say hi, Akkin!"

Instantly I compose myself, and slide over to the two girls with my best debonair mien. "Aki Sinagra. Though for you, my dears, 'Aki' is just fine." I say, killing the accent as best I can. The mermaid from the cove is giving me a weird look, but the other one, a maid with hair blue as the ocean itself under a cloudless sky, is merely somewhere in between stunned and confused. "I had never known before now…" I gently take the blue-haired mermaid's hand in mine "…that such an overwhelming beauty could exist in just one person!" Lifting the hand, I place a kiss upon the back. Now she's giving me the weird looks too. I let go of her hand, and she looks glad to have it back. "Madam? Do I offend?"

Her friend responds. "Lady, I don't know what kinda place you think we're running here…"

I pause a moment. "Surely, you see people… like me…" My accent slips back "every now and then, don't you?" They don't say a thing. "Don't you?" I repeat. Still nothing. The whole café has gone quiet. "Oh come on! I refuse to believe that I'm the only gal in the world who likes other…" They're ignoring me; everyone's ignoring me, looking right past me. "Oh, okay. I see how it's gonna be. Well, fine! Breaks my heart, but-"

"Is something wrong?" A resonating male voice behind me asks.

My frustration's found a target. "Butt out, fella! This ain't got nothin' to do with-" I turn around, to find a merman at least eleven feet tall towering above me, his head reaching almost to the ceiling. "-you." I finish, and get a quick look at the guy. He doesn't wear a shirt; in fact he's not wearing anything except for a sash around his waist. He's muscular, with an enormous, chiseled torso framed with a pair of gills where his neck meets his shoulders, Both his long, wild hair and his smooth fish tail are a cool bluish indigo color. What gets me is his face. It's still, rigid, like nothing I can say will faze him.

"Excuse me?" He says, in a partly demeaning manner.

"You heard me! What, my accent too thick for you?" I pause, glance back at the café patrons, at the mermaids, at Keimi, and then back at the large merman. "I see now. You're what everyone in here was lookin' at. You some kinda troublemaker 'round these parts, big fella? Causin' trouble for the ladies?"

That got his statue face crumpled. "Now hold on one second, Madam! I am certainly not-"

My blood starts to boil, and my face turns a bright fuschia in anger and shame. "What'd you call me!?" I yell, spitting fire at him. "That is **my** word, and I never wanna be called it by some sweaty-lookin' gorilla like you!" My anger has gotten the better of me entirely. In a move without thought to the consequence, I swing my arm back and throw a piercing jab, laced with boiling haki, directly at the merman. Startled, but prepared, he manages to block it with one of his massive arms. The impact sends a shockwave throughout the café that flusters everyone else in it. Hair flies, cups are spilled, and everyone's now terrified. Keimi's so bug-eyed in fright that her eyes look like they might pop right out of their sockets. I, however, am paying attention only to my opponent, however. _This asshole uses armament haki too._

"Hold it! I don't want to fight if I don't know the reason, so please! Madam-"

I scream in fury. "AGH! You said it again!" With another punch, this one even more vicious than the last, he flies straight through the café's archway entrance, out into the street. I follow after him. A hole in the crowd outside has opened up with him in the middle. He's back on his tail, still ready for a fight; a good thing, because I'm not so ready to let him go.

"Fukaboshi!" Two more merman exclaim his name, rushing to his side. They are both just as large as the other, but neither are as built. In fact, they both look a little… not quite all there in the head. One of them has a golden spear in his hand. The blue-haired merman snatches it from him.

"You fellas friends with this asshole?" I ask them, but don't give the chance for them to answer. "You oughta tell him not to pick so many fights, else he might just get his ass kicked by someone like me."

"Brother, what's she talking about?" _Brother? Aw hell, if they're his brothers they're gonna wanna fight too._

"Absolute nonsense!" The blue haired merman exclaims, furious.

"**What** is going on here!?" A woman's voice, regal and haughty shouts, from inside the café. I turn for a second to see a mermaid of great size and authority, with dark features and the tail of a shark, exit the building. "Prince Fukaboshi!" She exclaims. _Prince!? Wait- This asshole's a prince!? _"That was **you** making all this ruckus?"

"Madam Shyarly." Fukaboshi says calmly. "I arrived merely to seek your counsel, when this ruffian…" he emphasizes the word as he points his spear in my direction. However, as soon as I learned who he actually is, I did my best to quietly sneak off the scene and pray nobody notices me. "She got away!" I hear him exclaim while hiding behind a trash can in an thin alleyway nearby.

I continue to listen for his voice, going the opposite direction, until I'm pretty sure I've either lost him entirely, or he's just given up the search. Probably the latter. Resting a spell in my hiding spot, I let out a heavy sigh. _Only a couple days here and you already done got into two fights, and one of 'em's with a prince! A goddamn prince! Damn, I hope they don't remember me. _ I look around, to mer and fisholk everywhere. _Well, if there's any place in the world I ain't gonna stand out it's here. _Another sigh. _Never gonna get used to that._


	71. Chapter 71

**Seventy One – Scouting Fishman Island! The Wait For Judgment Day**

Though I'm not sure if I should be returning at all to her after what I did at the café, I find myself at the only place I really know on this island: Keimi's dormitory. Hesitantly, fearfully, I knock on the door.

Thankfully, she opens with smiles and "I was so worried about you!", not anger and "What the hell is wrong with you!?" – though I really can't imagine Keimi having the capacity in her to be angry about anything. Even when we were stuck in the glass bowl at the slave auction two years ago, when she watched that octopus Sun Pirate get shot in cold blood, it wasn't anger I saw in her, it was only horror. Some people are just like that, I guess.

"I'm more worried 'bout you, Madam." I say to her. "I didn't make you lose your job, did I?"

"No! No, of course not." She replies.

I breathe a sigh of relief. "Well that's good. Though I better not stick around here no more, else you might get in trouble."

"What? Oh, it's fine! No one's gonna know!"

I hesitate a moment. "You sure, Madam?"

"Positive!"

_What an angel!_ I can barely contain my glee. "Madam, you are truly the greatest! I promise I won't do nothin' to cause you no more trouble! From now on, I'm on my best behavior!"

As a show of my goodwill I offer to help tidy the place up. It's already pretty clean though, so mostly we're just chatting instead of cleaning. Somewhere in the conversation between Pappug's fashion line and the suits Sanji always wears, my mini Den Den Mushi starts going off, making a bubbly noise with its lips. "Ah, sorry Madam. I gotta take this. One sec." She nods, and I swim out of the dorm to the empty dimly lit street to answer the little thing.

"Aki." The snail speaks, in Hody's voice. I realize then what an idiot I am then for forgetting to blow a coral bubble before answering. "Aki!" It repeats, angrier. "Are you even there? I swear, low blood, if you forgot to-"

The bubble blown, I stick the receiver in it and respond. "I'm here." I reply in a breath of stale bubble air.

Someone in the background of the call laughs quietly and whispers "She totally did, boss!"

The sound of a fist meeting a face shuts him up. "Aki, where are you? Are you at Fishman Island?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Somewhere way down below the surface. Buncha houses and apartments and stuff." There's no way in hell I'd give these thugs the location of Madam Keimi's place.

"Good." He replies. "After your tangle with the prince, I was afraid I might find you in a prison cell instead."

"You… heard about that, huh?"

"News travels fast in Ryugu. Especially when you've a network of informants working for you. Which brings me to the reason I'm contacting you. That's going to be your job."

"You want me to be a spy?"

"Precisely."

I scratch the back of my head with a tentacle. "I dunno if ya'll noticed, but… I kinda ain't that good at keepin' quiet. Trouble likes to find me."

"Even better!" The snail exclaims, with a face as dramatic as I'd expect Hody's to be. "You're a rogue agent, an outsider unaffiliated with anyone. **You** can make all the noise you want without alerting the royals to us. In fact, you might even deter attention away! Get messy if you will! But be sure you report any findings you do to me."

_I ain't sure I buy all this. _"And my side of the deal?"

"I haven't forgotten, low blood. When Ryugu Palace is ours, I will tell you where the traitorous dog is hiding."

_Traitor? He's callin' him a traitor? But these fellas looked up to Arlong, didn't they? Did somethin' happen to cause a fissure between 'em? _"Yeah, sure. I'll tell you if I find somethin' interestin'. But don't expect nothin' for a few days at least. I wanna lay low for a bit."

"Yeah, fine. Whatever." Hody hangs up, and the Den Den Mushi in my hand falls asleep. I hang up as well and return back inside.

* * *

The next few days I'm true to my word and remain below the surface, exploring the underwater districts. The tunnels go everywhere in every direction, and though I'm sure many times I'll get lost, I'm somehow able to find my way with little difficulty. _Guess it's a fishfolk sense a' direction down here or somethin'. _I visit various places – social areas, shops, restaurants – to get to know the people here as well as learn what I can for my shady accomplice down in the Fishman District. News does indeed travel fast down here: word of the squid fishwoman who assaulted the eldest prince stays the talk of the town for a couple days, and one man accuses me of being her. I do my best to pretend to be a dainty little thing who could never harm a fly. I'm almost certain the farce won't hold, but he ends up believing it. After that, I make it a point not to visit the same place twice.

Out of boredom, curiosity, and obligation, I also take the time to learn more about Ryugu Palace. _I figure if them fellas want my help in assaultin' the place, I oughta learn what I can about it first. _I ask Keimi, she being the last person I can imagine ever suspecting me of foul plans. _'Foul plans' it might be, too. I wonder if I'm doin' the right thing for the country down here, helpin' these fellas out? Whatever. It's none of my business. Jinbei's all that matters to me._ Ryugu Palace, I learn, sits in a second bubble far above Fishman Island, connected only via a passageway between the two. It's normally closed off; only those already inside the palace can open it. Someone however, keeps getting things past, with the intent to kill the Mermaid Princess, Shirahoshi, who is locked away in a tower for her protection… or so I'm told. That got me curious (a Mermaid Princess has got to be the most beautiful woman ever I tell myself), but when I ask Keimi why someone can't simply swim up to it from outside, she doesn't know. "**I've** never tried of course, but everyone says you can't, so there must be something. What, you weren't thinking of trying, were you, Akkin?"

"Ryahahaha! 'Course not! I'm just makin' small talk waitin' for the Straw Hats to show up is all." To be honest, I've totally lost count of how many days left until the two years Monkey gave everyone are up. _If they all get to Sabaody on the day two years later, I reckon it'll take 'em about three or four days to get down here. Ooh, Natsu, I can't wait to see your face again! And Madam Nico and Madam Nam- Oh right. Nami__**zou**__. Well, he's a pretty face at least… I guess. Blech._

Two weeks pass before I get into another fight. Considering my history, that's actually quite a long time. And it wasn't even me who picked it this time, it was the prince. Our eyes clash as his royal procession or whatever is passing through Gyoncorde Plaza. I'd thought this was the one place in the world where I wouldn't stand out, but he notices me just like that, as I'm looking into the rippling waters of a fountain, daydreaming about Madam Nico and I escaping off to a tropical island.

"Well lookie who it is: none other than His Royal Nakedness himself!" I taunt after Fukaboshi confronts me, with spear in hand, no less. "Seems like we're just destined to be together, don't it? Come lookin' for a rematch, big fella?" The crowd gasps, and clears out of fright.

I've got him angry now. His shark teeth are bared in a snarl and his muscles are clenched tight. "You show some gall in front of a prince in his own kingdom, citizen of the Storm."

I laugh. "Aw, you figured me out? That's right; I ain't from here, so you ain't deserved nothin' from me."

He growls underneath his breath. "King Aegir is lucky I have already visited his domain, or I might presume **all** of his people to be as uncouth as you, Madam." _OOH! He did it again! This lughead don't take a hint, do he!? _He pulls out his spear and I ready myself as well. "Very well. If it is a fight you are after, it is a fight you shall have. You have attacked the Crown Prince of Ryugu, and you shall be made to pay for it!" He leads the charge, golden spear in hand. His drive is genuine, though I doubt he'd kill me, given the chance. So I show him the same.

The difference in our strength is obvious. Not just the natural difference between Ryugu and Storm fishfolk, but I can tell he hasn't trained nearly as much as I have. _Pampered prince life. _As such, it doesn't take long for him to be down on the ground, bruised and exhausted, his spear snatched away and in my hands. I bend the thing into a right angle and throw it back at him. It lands by his tail with a loud clang, after which I make sure he hears me say: "If you're lucky, we ain't gonna see each other's faces again." I part the terrified crowd of onlookers and leave the plaza.

After my second fight with Fukaboshi I don't return to Keimi's dorm. _A little scuffle was bad enough, but after a full-blown fight with the prince they'll be lookin' for me. _Instead, I leave Fishman Island before news reaches the soldiers at the gate and swim down to the one place around here I know I ought to be safe: Noah. I have an idea I want to share with Hody anyway, so it works out.

"Aki? Why are you down here?" Hody asks with a frown on his face once I find him in the gigantic ship.

"Something happen on the Island?" Dosun, his giant squid-type lieutenant, asks.

"You could say that. Read tomorrow's newspaper." I say with a grin. "I reckon it ain't gonna be too safe for me stayin' up there after the bruisin' I just gave a certain royal asshole."

Hody bursts into laughter, and his men follow. "You really hate the prince, don't you?"

"Have you met the fella?" I chuckle. "But hey, somethin' came to me yesterday. Ya'll figure out a way into the palace yet?"

"We're working on it." Says Zeo. He looks as though he's about to explain their idea, but I stop him.

"Hold that thought, cause I got an idea. Ya'll've heard of that ghost ship fella, right? His name's Bander… something?"

Hody raises a defined eyebrow. "Vander Decken? Everyone's heard of him since the stunt he pulled after the Queen died. What about it?"

I take a deep breath of the stale bubble air. "Okay, so you heard of him. You heard of his Devil's Fruit power?" Their sudden surprised look tells me they haven't. I relay what Jube told me, about how he can toss stuff at a person and it'll follow them to the end of the world. Putting two and two together the other day, I realized that the 'girl locked away in a tower' is the Mermaid Princess, locked away somewhere in Ryugu Palace.

"So you're suggesting we find Vander Decken and what, have him lob a bunch of giant boulders?" Hody asks. "The palace is well-built, it would take more than that to bring it down."

I grin. "You didn't say you wanted the place wrecked, you said you wanted it to be yours. We'll have Vander throw **us**, and when we're in, we'll take it down from the inside."

Hody's face freezes for a half-second, and then explodes into laughter. "I see! I see! Excellent! You're smarter than your blood, Stormie!" _Sure, whatever. Just hold up your end a' the bargain._ Hody begins issuing orders to start searching for Vander. I let him know what Jube told me, that they found him at an undersea volcano. Hody and I both come to the conclusion then that the best place to search would be the western ridge, the same one I passed by on the way here.

Since I'm going to be staying here, I find an empty room in the ship to claim as my own, then procure an extra large piece of coral to make a bubble big enough to fill the room up with air. From elsewhere in the ship I scavenge enough materials – some wood, a couple raggedy sheets, and some nails – to fashion a makeshift bed. That will be my home until we launch the assault on Ryugu Palace. It's not much, but it's something, and it's certainly more than what I've had in the past.

I spend the majority of my times training, readying myself for my fight with Jinbei. One guy offers to spar with me. He is the first and the last person to have that idea, at least until Zeo finally finished the thing Hody had hinted at when I first met him. "They're Energy Steroids." He tells me one day while I am in my room meditating. He just showcased them to everyone in Hody's gang, but I guess he wants to show me as well. "For every one you take, your strength'll be doubled! They'll be a tremendous help in the fight for the palace, I'm sure!"

"Congratulations. Maybe now ya'll'll be half as strong as me." I say, annoyed at being snapped out of my meditative trance. "I ain't int'rested."

I'm not sure if my snide remark gets to his nerves or not. "B-But, Aki! That's just it! You've got a natural strength even the boss doesn't have! Think of how powerful you'd be if you took even **one** of these!"

I ignore him. He gives up and leaves. _Sure, they'd make my fight easier… and so woulda been simply throwin' Monkey into the ocean when I fought him. But that wouldn't be a __**win**_. _That wouldn't appease my conscience._

I am a bit inquisitive about how much it amplifies their strength, so I ask anyone if they want to spar now that they've got a little boost on their side. A couple guys agree, but in the end I still beat the tar out of them. I can tell their raw strength has increased, but they've still got no form, no skill behind it. So I decide to get gutsy and head back up to the Fishman Island a couple times, to see if I can't find the prince again to mess with. I can't, but it's a welcome change of scenery from the Noah's gloom.

I also notice that the number of humans in the Fishman District has gotten larger since I first arrived. What was first only a hundred give or take is now several thousand. Most of them look like pirates. It's a curious matter, but not really a concern of mine.

Two years and two days after the battle at Sabaody Archipelago, startling news finds its way into the Fishman District. Hammond bursts into the meeting hall as Hody, all of his lieutenants, and myself are awaiting the arrival of Vander Decken, who, after being located last week, said he would be arriving this very day. "Boss! Big news!"

"Decken's arrived?" Hody asks.

"Bigger! The humans who trounced Arlong, the Straw Hat Pirates, they're here!"


	72. Chapter 72

**Seventy Two – Vander Decken Arrives! A Fated Clash with the Past**

At first I thought Hody an unchanging, cruel, vile racist of a fishman. Later I learned, when he praised the Storm Kingdom for wiping out entirely a fleet of Marine warships in the New World, that he is at least able to change his opinions ever so slightly, though he is still indeed a cruel, vile, racist of a fishman. Sometimes, in fierce bursts of anger with the man, I was almost driven to end him right then and there; though he isn't and never was a Sun Pirate, everything about him personifies the type of monsters I've always envisioned them to be.

But still, to my surprise, Hody's gang doesn't hate the Straw Hats as much as I thought they would. While the defeat of Arlong certainly created a disdain towards them, the fact that they declared war on the World Nobles and as the government behind them forced Hody and his men to give him credit as a human with some guts. So Hammond, under orders, gave the Straw Hats an ultimatum when they arrived. "Join us or we'll sink your ship." He tells us he had said. He doesn't even have to say what the answer was; I know Monkey well enough to know he'd answer with raspberries and a dirty face. Hody was most displeased to find out they had escaped.

"Hammond! Kasagon!" Hody orders. "Find the Straw Hats immediately! You let them escape; this is your mess!" The two look terrified, but hurry out on their orders. Hody turns to another, a blue-ringed octopus fishman I'd never seen before today. He is carrying around a number of blades with him that, along with his unsure footing, make me a bit nervous. "Hyouzou, make sure those two idiots do their job."

Hyouzou hiccups. "Sure thing, boss." _This fella's drunk as a skunk, and you're givin' him orders?_

When he's gone, I go ahead and speak my mind. "The hell d'you see in that guy?" I ask Hody, or anyone who will answer, really.

"Hammond? He's just meat. Who cares?"

"No, not Hammond." _You really don't give a rat's ass about your allies, or anyone for that matter, do you? _"The drunk fella."

"You mean Hyouzou? That man's the best swordsman in all of Ryugu. With the four of us – you, him, myself, and eventually Vander Decken – there isn't a single person in the entire kingdom who can stand up to us."

I think for a minute. _Guy's pretty full of himself. And awful sure I'm gonna help him in whatever fight comes our way. Though, I guess he still holds the cards. He knows as well as I do that as soon as I learn where Jinbei is, the gig's up and I'm gone. But he's wrong about one thing._ "There **wasn't** a single person who could stand up to us."

I look up at his eyes as does he back down at mine. He knows what I'm thinking. "Monkey D. Luffy?" He says. I nod. "Before we had the Energy Steroids perhaps you would be right, but with them even the Star of Marineford will fall before us. I've seen what the boy is capable of. I've prepared for him."

"But have you come across him?"

Hody's malicious smile fades. "Of course I haven't. I've never even seen the filthy human face to face. Have you?"

I had purposely neglected to mention any of my involvement with the Straw Hats up until now, knowing how spiteful everyone's attitude here was of them. "I fit with him once before." I say, sitting down in a dirty old wooden chair.

" 'Fit'?"

"Fought, whatever. You know what I mean." I grumble. "I fought with the cheeky bastard a couple years ago at Water Seven."

That caught everyone off-guard. "Seriously?" Dosun gasps.

"Seriously."

"Who won?" Asks Zeo.

I eject a tiny breath of laughter thinking back to the fight. "Tie. Double K.O. His strength's the real deal, though." Though I say this, I lean back in my chair and try to look unimpressed, pulling the end of a tentacle close to clean the dirt out from in between the suckers. "And that was over two years ago. Plus, he ain't the only one. His crew's no joke, either."

Hody laughs a loud, venomous cackle. "And neither is ours! Jahahaha! I have to say, Aki, if all of what you say is true, this invasion is going to be a lot more interesting than I had expected!" He looks pumped up and ready for a fight, as do his men. And though I hate to admit it, their vigor is contagious. I find myself snickering and cheering along with them. _This could be it, Aki. This might just be the final day, the day everything you've worked for pays off! This could really be it!_

"Tell you what. Imma go help find them Straw Hats too, Hody." I say, though it's Natsu I'm concerned about. "Tired a' waitin' around for this Vander asshole to show up."

"Vander… ASSHOLE!?" a shrill, raspy voice from outside screeches. The hall goes quiet. Following the voice enters a tall, lanky, hunchbacked fishman with two pairs of legs. His greasy hair, stringy moustache, and wide-legged walk says he's bad news. He has a coral's bubble around him, protecting his entire body. _Devil's Fruit user. This is the fella alright. _"Who said that!? Who called me that!?" He points to the closest fishman. "Was it you!?" Another finger at another fishman. "Or you? Yes, it was you… I suspect!"

"It was me." I proclaim, stepping forward.

He gasps. "Ah! A fishwoman! And you've a bubble as well! Hody, you hired another Devil's Fruit user… I suspect!"

"I ain't no damn Devil's Fruit user." I groan. To prove my point, I pop my bubble, sending a smirk his way.

"Vander Decken the Ninth!" Hody says in a loud, commanding voice. "It's good to finally see you."

Vander finally turns his attention away from me. A breath of relief. "Sorry to keep you waiting! We ran into an untimely volcanic eruption on our way here! Nasty business!" He exclaims with a sly smile. "You are the infamous Hody Jones I've heard so much about… I suspect!"

With his arms crossed in front of him and his eyes buried under his hat, Hody laughs. "I'm not the only one with notoriety, Vander Decken." He stands up from his seat, walks to Vander, and extends a hand in greetings.

"Oh! A handshake? Ah, one moment, one moment!" From out of a pocket he pulls a webbed red glove and slips it over his right hand. "There we are!" He chuckles, and extends his arms out of the bubble to grasp Hody's. _Don't that hurt for you, touchin' seawater? Or somethin' like that?_ All the crowd around me erupts into cheer as the two shake hands, finalizing the treaty between the two forces.

Once the fervor dies down, people begin preparing for the invasion. Just how many people Hody has wrangled together for this mad plan I don't know. I could have already seen it all, or he could have the entire Fishman District and then some under his thumb. _Probably the latter._ The first people he brings in to see him are surprisingly not his top commanders. Instead, he brings in the lowest of the low in his ranking system: the humans. A body-sized piece of bubbly coral is brought in to fill the room with air, not only so that the humans may breathe, but Vander as well. _And I ain't gotta wear one a' them stupid bubbles just to talk. _I hear some of the fishmen still around snickering about how pathetic humans are. "Can't even breathe water." One spits. "Well that's why Hody is using **them **for the plan." Another sneers.

"Which plan?" I ask, my eyes kept locked onto a certain scruffy-looking human.

The first fishman laughs sinisterly under his breath. "Yours, of course."

"Mine?" I turn to look at the man. You mean…? But hold on, they're humans! They ain't built to survive the impact like us fishfolk."

"All the better! What're a couple hundred dead humans? And pirates at that!"

I don't say anything in return, letting my anger seethe inside instead. _Damn it, Hody. I shoulda seen you'd do somethin' like this. You better hope them fellas survive the flight, or there ain't gonna be no one to open the gates for you._ I look back at the human pirates, all of them dumbfounded. Vander's talking with them, trying to give them a little pep talk. "Little humans, you all should be happy!" He says. "You get to be a part of this great, historic mission! If you do your job well, you'll have one hell of a story to tell your kids… I suspect!"

"You!" One of the humans, a man in a dirty pirate's tricorne, exclaims. "I've heard of you! You're Vander Decken, the captain of that ghost ship!"

Vander bursts into laughter. "Don't worry! I'm no ghost, I'm merely a descendant of the name! Ah, but I am cursed… I suspect! I can't swim or breathe water, even though I'm a fishman! Because I ate the Mato Mato fruit and gained this cursed power!" _Yeah, real smart move on your part. _"Come, I'll show you a rare sight, humans: the power of this curse!" Looking among the humans, he singles one out, a particularly dumb-looking fellow with patches of missing hair.

But before the vicious plan is set in moment, one voice, a voice I haven't heard in a long time, cries out in anger, "Hody!" Everyone's attention is diverted away from Vander's little show to the hall entrance, where the sound of broken footsteps approaches. And with those footsteps, comes one of **them**. Hatchan, the very same Sun Pirate who two years ago came to rescue Keimi from a life of slavery, whose life was saved by a young, reckless captain, and who should have met his end by my hand in a crummy little bar, enters. One leg is in a brace and he needs a pair of wooden crutches to walk. Inside me a fire of rage burns as bright as the sun, and it takes every bit of will in me not to let it engulf the hall whole. No, I wait. _He's still injured. I can end him anytime I please. And I __**will** this time__._

"I know your plans, Hody! Are you seriously going to attack King Neptune!?" He exclaims, pointing a sharp index finger from one of his six arms directly at Hody. "Don't be crazy!"

I glance at Hody. He is also entirely disgusted with the octopus fishman's presence, though for a different reason than I. "Give me a break, you disgusting traitor." He spits. "I can't believe you were an officer in both the pirate crews I so admired as a boy. Now look at you! A coward! It's clear you and all the old generation has degenerated to treachery; the new generation must usurp its throne of power and teach the humans the lesson they deserve!" I notice all the humans, every last one of them, jump in their skin. "And to do that," Hody goes on, "we need Fishman Island under our control. So you see, Neptune is a hindrance that must be eliminated!" His disgust turns sinister. "You should understand, Hatchan! After it all, it was you who taught us we fishfolk are the superior race!"

"But Arlong lost, Hody! We were wrong, and we lost because of it!" Hatchan protests. "Decken! Hyouzou! Why are you doing this?" He asks the two fishmen. "You both refused Arlong's offer in the past, so why are you helping these youths now?"

Hyouzou takes a swig of his drink and answers in a tone saturated with sake. " 'Helping'? I'm just in it for the money. Arlong was a stingy bastard with his coffers. He didn't offer me enough is all. And that's why he ended up with two-bit swordsmen like you, Hachi." He says with a drunken grin.

Hatchan stumbles closer to the center of the hall, where Hody, Decken, and everyone important is. I'm hiding in the crowd, waiting, watching, plotting. "Hachi, it's been a while!" Vander exclaims. "I remember Arlong asking me to work under him! It was a ridiculous proposition! Me? Work **under** someone!? Hah! Never! Hody understands that… I suspect! We are partners, working on even terms!"

"Perhaps they can see that I actually have the ability to accomplish my goals." Hody says callously. "Arlong had a dream, and he could take action when needed. I respected that. However, at the same time, he was too rough. He lacked cleverness, tact, patience. We, being too young to become pirates back then, watched your failures so we could plan things more carefully. So you see, it is exactly **because** Arlong lost that we shall not! We will carry on his legacy, and we will be victorious! But you, you who were once a part of his design that I admired so much, you stand here now and you oppose me! It is discouraging, Hatchan! I thought you a better man than this!" He lowers his tone, and smiles shark teeth. "Did you know? The one who ended Arlong's ambitions, Straw Hat Luffy – he is here in Ryugu, right now. Doesn't that at all… enrage you? Don't you want your revenge?"

Hatchan's face turns remorseful. "Luffy… After all the horrible things I'd done to him and his nakama… that boy saved my life, and he called me his friend!"

Hody's smile turns to a frown. "Friends with a human…? Pathetic! Utterly pathetic!"

While Hatchan was giving his sob story, Vander snuck up behind him and lightly tapped the octopus fishman's bare shoulder with his left hand. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Hachi, it's been so long that you've forgotten how we pirates settle things… I suspect! Violence is how we solve our problems." _Yes, strike him, Sun Pirate. I know you. You think you're a changed man, you think you redeemed yourself, so throw a punch, and I'll break you in half before it hits its mark!_ In a flash, Vander pulls a knife out from a sleeve, and with a light flick, throws it high up into the air. "Watch the knife carefully." He sneers.

The blade doesn't come back down as expected, but changes direction, and like it has a mind of its own, curves through the air and spears itself into Hatchan's chest. _Now! _The octopus fishman falls to the ground and cries out in pain, but Vander isn't done yet. From one of his subordinates, he grabs a whole quiver's worth of arrows. Hatchan and I both know what he's got planned, and we are both on the move. "Good luck, Hachi!" Vander laughs as he tosses them all into the air above him.

Like a bolt of lightning I come forward, in between Vander and his target, and in one swift slice of haki, break every last soaring arrow into splinters. Hody, Vander, Hatchan –everyone is stunned. "Aki?" Says Hody.

"Nyuu! Y-y-you!" Hatchan gasps. "W-what are you doing here!?"

Ignoring the Sun Pirate, I answer the fishman leader. "If you want him dead, I'll be the one to do the job." I stare directly into the battered Sun Pirate's wide, terrified eyes. "I got a history with this one."

"A history…?" Hody repeats, his voice low, full of malice. "You… I see your game now, low blood. You're hunting Sun Pirates, aren't you?"_ He's too clever, this asshole._ Hatchan, far past his limit of fear, breaks into a sprint out of the hall. _Damn it, I'll figure this out later!_

Hatchan is a small distance away from me as I chase him down through the hallways of Noah. We reach the edge of the giant bubble blown earlier and I pray he's not a faster swimmer than me. _He's injured, he can't get far!_ We jet through the submerged corridors, and out of the ship, into open water, where he immediately veers upward, heading directly for Fishman Island in the distance. I'm gaining on him, but only slightly. _C'mon Aki, go! GO!_ My anger is rising the nearer and nearer I get to him. About halfway between Noah and Fishman Island I close in on him enough to see the blood trailing out_, _the knife still stuck in his chest. Hatchan makes the fatal mistake of slowing down for just a moment to glance behind, and I capitalize on it, pushing myself towards him in a burst of speed and catching up with him_._ Close enough, I lash a tentacle at his ankle and wrap it around him tight. _Got him! _He cries out, but I don't even hear his fear, his pain. I yank him down towards me and put him in a sleeper hold, while entangling him entirely. He tries his fiercest to wiggle free, but I've got him; he isn't going anywhere.

"Nyuu! You don't have to this! Please!" He pleads.

With my one free tentacle I reach into my pack to grab the coral, then squeeze out a bubble from it over my head. "You lucked out two years ago, didn't you, Sun Pirate?" I yell. "I bet you thought you were home free when I up and disappeared. Well I'm back now, and you ain't so defenseless this time!"

"I don't even know who you are!"

I squeeze tighter… "Oh? You forgot me already? But you spent…" and tighter… "…so long searchin' for me!" and tighter, until his skin is near to burst. While strengthening my hold on him, I free a tentacle from of his arms and hover it in front of his face, retracting for him to see the tooth-like barbs from between the suckers. I whisper into his ear. "And you almost found me. Think back, Sun Pirate. If only you had looked a little harder… a little **closer**." I say, as I move my tentacle close enough that the jagged tip of each barb is only a hair's length away from his bulging eyes. "If you hadn't been so quick," I raise my voice to a yell for a moment, "to burn everythin' to the ground…! Then you woulda found me sleepin' in the woods, a stone's throw away from the city you turned to ash. I still don't know what you murderers want with me, and I don't care. All I care about is-"

My words are immediately cut short by a searing pain in my side. While I was too focused elsewhere, he pulled the knife from his chest with the one arm I loosened and buried it right in my hip. I let out a howl of pain so loud it pops the bubble around my head, reflexively letting go of the fishman, who doesn't wait a sliver of a second to flee, as fast as he can swim. I freeze for a moment, my eyes locked on the knife half in shock and half in fury, before grabbing the thing and painfully yanking it out, bringing along with it a thick stream of blood. I look up at Hatchan, who has already made some distance. Every bit of me wants to chase after him, but I know if I'm trailing blood, every meat-eating predator in these waters will be hot on my tail. Thinking fast, I rip off the edge of my sleeve and wrap it around the gaping wound tight. The fabric stains dark red immediately. _That'll hold till I get to Fishman Island. Damn you, Sun Pirate! I ain't through with you yet!_


	73. Chapter 73

**Seventy Three – A Dream Fulfilled? The Lady and the Cook**

My adrenaline starts to die down as I reach the gate to Fishman Island. I'm trailing far behind Hatchan – he already made it here at least a minute before me. By the time I approach the guards hovering outside the gate, he's already in the tunnel, out of sight. _I swear, he better not a' gotten the guards on his side! I ain't got time to fight them!_

Except they look worried, not preparing for a fight. "Ma'am! Are you with that man that just went in? What happened to the two of you? You're both severely injured!" I'm already gone, chasing Hatchan through the tunnel between the layers of bubble holding the island. "Wait! Not you too!" Comes the guard's trailing voice from behind me. I can't tell if he's following after me, but I don't care. The pain's getting worse, slowing my speed, but I press on. _You ain't givin' up from just one little wound, Aki! Keep on!_

Once I'm out of the tunnel and inside the second bubble, more light pours into the water, making it clearer to see through, but I can't spot my prey anywhere. Surfacing, I scan the walls of the second gate, but no sign of him. _Okay, calm down. Calm down! Damn it Aki, calm down! _I scream it in my head as I race towards the island. _He musta fled to land. I just gotta search the coasts and_

For just a moment, the iron taste of blood drifts across my tongue. There's no discoloration in the water, but I can taste it. I try to follow the taste, hoping it'll lead me in the right direction. The last time I ever did such a thing was when I was lost in the wilderness in the Red Line, though starvation will do that to someone. It makes me feel like an animal again. _I don't care. I can't care! Not now! _

Closer to shore I see a spot of red on the surface of the water near the land, a blob of blood that has yet to disperse into the water. Elated I haven't lost his trail yet, I burst out of the water and onto the rocky beach. I don't even notice the pain in my hip from the landing I'm so determined to find the fleeing fishman. A dirty maroon trail of blood drops on the ground lead inland, and just at the city's edge do I spot Hatchan collapsed, with a shocked figure leaning over him. _It's all over for you now, Sun Pirate! _Oblivious to the pain, I break into a sprint after him, and as soon as I near his broken body, as soon as I am ready to leap into the air to deliver the final blow that will end his life, I discover the identity of the figure at his side.

"Miss Aki!" Sanji squeals with excitement. I've never seen the man so excited to see me before. I, on the other hand, don't care in the slightest to see him. His look's changed a little – a bit of fuzz on his chin, his hair parted the opposite way, a speck of age in his face – but for the most part he looks the same as he did two years ago.

"Yeah, howdy." I say, annoyed. "Now back off, Sanji, or else I ain't guaranteein' your safety when I smash this scumbag's head in."

"Mr. Squid!" Tony Tony's high, squeaky, still adorable even after two years voice exclaims. The little reindeer doesn't look that different at all, other than having swapped out his old hat for a new one. "She was right – you **are** here! Ah! And you're injured as well!"

_'She'…? _I gasp. "Madam Natsu's here!?"

"Somewhere on this beautiful island she must be!" Says Sanji, hearts in his eyes. "Ah, it so pains me to be away from her! She's such a smart, wonderful, beautiful lady…"

Something in me snaps. I've entirely forgotten about Hatchan, lying there mangled and bloody. "Hold on! The hell'd you do to her!?" I demand of Sanji.

His swirly brow raises in confusion. "Do to her? Whatever do you mean, Miss Aki?"

"Don't play dumb with me! I know you, Sanji! Ooh, I shoulda known…" I growl, gritting my teeth. "I shoulda seen this comin'! You're tryin' to steal Madam Natsu out from under my nose!"

Sanji laughs. I don't even notice Tony Tony starting to tend to Hatchan's wounds. "Now, now, Miss Aki." He says with a voice that makes me feel like he's putting me down. "The two of you have known each other since childhood, right? You're practically like sisters, aren't you? Certainly you must know it's a lost cause." _No it ain't! You shut your mouth!_ "You'll find the right lady eventually, I'm sure. But Madam Natsu and I… ahh! I've never met a lady like her, so interested in both cooking **and** combat! We're like a match made in heaven!"

"No…! She… she'd never, would she? You're lyin'! I know you are!"

"Miss Aki, I would throw myself off a cliff before I lie to a lady." He says with a stern voice of chivalry.

_No, no, no! This is terrible! He's right… he __**wouldn't**__ lie. Even to me… _"No!" I shout. "No, I ain't lettin' you!" I stand tall and straight. "Sanji… whatever your last name is… I challenge you to a duel!"

"A duel?" He repeats.

"For Madam Natsu's heart, fight me! Right here and now!"

He scoffs into the wind. "Forget it. You may be rough and ill-mannered, Miss Aki, but you're still a lady, and I will never strike a lady."

"Then I quit being one!" _As if I ever was, whatever the hell you think I'm s'pposed to be._

He looks shocked, like I just shattered something solid in his mind, something he could always fall back on that just crumbled to dust. He scratches the stubble on his chin, and glancing down at my hip, says "You're injured."

"You backin' out!?" I spit.

That struck a nerve. He keeps his cool though, calmly lighting a cigarette and taking a small drag. "I hope you know what you're getting into, Miss Aki."

"I was 'bout to say the same thing." I sneer.

Our limbs clash like thunder, sudden and powerful, his shin against my arm. Immediately I can tell he hasn't been slacking off these two years – he's been training himself just as much as I have. I try and ensnare his attacking leg with a pair of tentacles, but with amazing speed, he pulls it away before I can even get close, and just as quick, spins around for another kick, this one to my side. With the speed he's moving at I don't have time to move an arm to block. So, I don't bother trying. Instead, I focalize all the haki I can right at the spot where his foot would make contact.

The maneuver works. I can feel the force of his kick in the air, but it does not impact with my body. _He didn't put everythin' he had into that kick. I shoulda felt way more than that! He's holdin' back, the asshole! _My lack of a reaction surprises him for a just a fraction of a second, however it's all the time I need to move onto the offensive. I pin his foot in between my side and my elbow and pull his body into what should be a tremendous punch directly between his collarbones, an attack to end the fight. But with this new speed of his, he manages to dodge my attack once again, this time by spinning his entire body around, as though he were a wheel and his pinned leg its axle, so that my punch hits only air. Not stopping there, he readies a counter with his free foot, a heel kick straight upwards. My tentacles aren't strong enough to stop the blow, so I have no choice but to let go of his leg and use my other arm to direct the kick away from shattering my jaw.

The two of us are pushed away from each other, long enough for Tony Tony to scream at us. "What are you two doing!? You finally see each other again after two years and the first thing you do is get in a fight!?" Both Sanji and I divert our attention for a moment his way. _He's patchin' up the Sun Pirate… Damn it, they're gonna end up tryin' to stop me again! Should I pull back then? Keep an eye on 'em, then come for the bastard later when they ain't watchin' him?_

Our fight has grabbed the attention of the townsfolk nearby, and they look angry. They're brandishing a menagerie of household tools as weapons, brooms and pitchforks and such. _These assholes too!? _"The hell ya'll lookin' at?" I snap.

"We want the mermaids back you all kidnapped!" Yells a fishwoman.

"Say what?" Sanji says, ruffled and confused. _Seriously, the hell **are** they talkin' 'bout?_

"Don't play dumb with us! Three young mermaids were kidnapped by the cove earlier! You all are the only pirates to come down here in weeks! Who else would do it?" The crowd's nearly surrounded us now.

Their babble is annoying me, but it's annoying Sanji even more. "And that's enough reason to put the blame on us?" He fidgets with his suit in frustration for a moment. "While it's true that Miss Aki and I both love mermaids enough to take them away forever,"_ Don't lump me in with your sick ideas!_ "we aren't the ones who did it."

"See!" Quips a chubby merman. "He admits to wanting to kidnap them! And you-" he points his broomstick handle at me. "I recognize you! You're that woman who attacked Prince Fukaboshi!"

"I knew it!" Another man exclaims. "I knew you had ulterior motives! You're working with these pirates to smuggle people out as slaves!"

"Now hold on!" I yell. "That ain't-"

"Shame on you! Betraying your own race!" A woman exclaims.

"I said hold on! I ain't done nothin' like…" They aren't listening. Their mob's anger has grown too fierce to quell with words alone. They need a body now. I glance back at Tony Tony. He isn't looking our way anymore. Instead, he's staring off up into the clouds. _Your attention don't keep long, do it? _I look back at Sanji, who's also cautiously veering his gaze up at the sky. The townsfolk are also looking upwards. _The hell are they all lookin' at?_ Slowly, I look up as well.

A blowfish… or a shark, or... something is floating high in the sky. It's enormous, bloated, and wobbling back and forth – an incredibly bizarre sight. So, of course, who else would be shouting from atop it but the strangest person I've met on this strange sea? "Oi! Sanji! Chopper!" Comes the carefree voice of Monkey D. Luffy from atop the giant floating fish.

"Look! It's their captain!" A woman shouts. Monkey hops down to the ground, catches himself in an easy landing, then runs through the crowd, paying no mind to their outrage, over to where the four of us are surrounded. Since the last time I saw him he's obtained an incredibly large, gruesome scar on his chest, but other than that he doesn't look like he's aged a day.

"Whoa-ho! Squid-head!" He exclaims. "We all wondered where you were!"

"You were the only one who wondered, idiot!" Sanji growls, planting a shoe in the side of Monkey's face. "Miss Natsu said she went on ahead!"

Monkey laughs boisteriously. "Did Curly Hair say that? Man, I don't remember!"

Another shoe. "You don't remember anything!"

"Don't ignore us!" Yells a fishman, perturbed. "Monkey D. Luffy! I know you! You're the captain! They say you were just in the Royal Palace!"

"What!?" A merman gasps. "The palace!? You don't think… He didn't come here to kidnap Shirahoshi, do you!?"

The crowd bursts into murmur. "That's not possible though, right?" Says a long-necked fishman. "People might joke around about it, but… I mean, she's a giant smelt whiting-type." The fishman continues. "There's no way anyone could even pick her up, let alone get her out of the palace unnoticed."

I glance at Sanji, who's turned towards the sea in frustration. "They're talkin' 'bout you, buddy." I mumble and walk up beside him, looking out as well.

"Let them talk." He curtly replies, lighting another cigarette.

"So why?" I ask, changing the subject while the crowd berates Monkey. "Why are you protectin' that lowlife?"

"Hatchan?" He responds, hesitating a moment. "Well… why are you trying to kill him, Miss Aki?"

_Madam Natsu didn't tell you? _I am just about to answer him, if only for the chance to convert them to my side, but a loud crashing noise from behind startles the breath out of me. Neither Sanji nor I turn around to see just what made it, instead only exchanging confused glances. "I think your captain got fed up with the crowd." I mumble.

"Probably."

"You ain't gonna help him?"

"It's not like he needs it… but I guess I should-"

Sanji is about to move, but Tony Tony, nearly in tears, stops him, leaping onto his back to keep him in place. "Sanji, no! Don't turn around! Don't look! Whatever you do, don't look!"

"Th-the hell? What's gotten into you, Chopper?" Sanji stammers.

"You're not recovered enough! You'll die if you turn around!"

From behind us the crowd explodes into shock. "They… they actually kidnapped the Princess!" They exclaim. Sanji and I both freeze in shock and disbelief, glancing at each other once again.

"Did he just say…" I begin.

"…Princess?" Sanji ends.

"Y…Yes! He did!" Tony Tony cries. "She's right behind you! So please, don't turn around!" My heartbeat begins to race. "I don't know what happened to you these past two years to make you so susceptible to women, but you nearly nosebled to death just from seeing a normal mermaid! If you see the Mermaid Princess, it's… it's curtains!"

_He doesn't care._ I can see it in his eyes. I've forgotten all my malice with the man, for just this moment. "Go on." I say. "You look first."

"No!" Sanji shouts. "We look together! This was **our** dream, Miss Aki!"

"What!?" Chopper shrieks. "You're not serious…! Sanji, please!"

"Chopper!" He shouts, biting his cigarette. "I made the mistake once before of ignoring that which was right in front of me. So… if grasping a dream within reach would end me… then I gladly accept such a death!"

"Well said!" I exclaim, and the two of us simultaneously swivel around to fulfill that pact we (well, **he** really) made so long ago.

My heart, my mind, my soul, all my being stops, frozen in place by this great avatar of beauty before me. Pink flowing hair, a shining ruby-scaled tail, the scantest of clothing revealing a figure the gods could only imagine, and the face of an angel, buried in slender, tear-soaked hands…

I'm out cold before I can even process the image in my head.


	74. Chapter 74

**Seventy Four – Declaration of Power! The Final Fight Begins**

"Mm… Shirahoshi…" I mumble as the sleep starts to drift out of me. "No, no... you can leave the shrimp right where they are, I'll just eat them off your-"

A loud smack across the face jolts me back to reality. My vision spins and blurs as my head realigns with the world. I see faces at first, then when everything's where it should be I discover they are **very angry** faces. I try to move my arms, but they're behind my back and won't budge. My tentacles won't move either.

"It's no use trying to move, we got you tied up good!" The mermaid who slapped me across the cheek growls. She and several others are surrounding me. I recognize a couple of them from the angry mob that had us surrounded. I'm somewhere in the city – probably not far from where I passed out by the look of the buildings and the poignant smell of salt water. I try to turn my head around, but it's no good. I can feel the rough, scratchy texture of the rope against my tentacles and against my wrists, and the cold metallic surface of the pole they've got me tied up against. _I can break free of this… lemme just…_

"Mountain Fist Aki." Comes a man's voice, diverting my attention away from escaping for a moment. A green-skinned fishman of average type and size approaches me, and in his hand he holds a copy of my wanted poster, my worried photograph staring back at me. "I thought you looked familiar. So which pirates are you really working for? The Straw Hats or the New Fishmen?" _'New Fishmen'? Is that Hody's group?_

"Does it matter?" The mermaid asks.

"If she's working with the Straw Hats," an onlooker remarks, "they don't care much for her – they didn't even bother taking her with them when they fled!"

"I ain't workin' with neither of 'em!" I shout.

"Quiet! You can't hide from the truth! I know you're up to no good, one way or another!" Yells the fishman as he shakes the wanted poster in my face. I spit a angry glob of ink on it. Dropping the parchment and wiping the ink off his fingers, he is about to bark something else in response, but a loudspeaking Den Den Mushi interrupts him.

"Inhabitants of the Ryugu Kingdom, can you hear me?" _That's Hody!_

"Where's that coming from?" Someone shouts.

"Over there! The video screen!" _The hell's a video screen? Ergh, I wish I could see!_

Hody continues. "I am the captain of the New Fishman Pirates, Hody Jones. I advise you listen well to what I have to say, because I'm not going to repeat myself." The mob's no longer paying attention to me; all eyes are on Hody, wherever his image is being shown. "This kingdom's tyrant is soon meeting his end, and in its place a new king shall arise… me!" Everyone gasps in fear. Even the fishman and the mermaid who were so fierce in confronting me have crumbled. I try to wiggle myself out of the ropes but it's no good; it's too tight. "As your new king, I have an edict: to anyone seeking amity with humans, disappear from this land! As of this moment, you have some new residents, migrating from the Fishman District up here to your shiny island. They too share my disdain towards humans, and they too seek to reform this country. And for good reason! You all saw it, didn't you? The death of your beloved Queen Otohime? No matter how much they smile and extend themselves, humans will betray you over and over again! The Neptune Dynasty would lead you down this path straight to your own deaths!" Ignoring his words as best I can, I summon all my strength to break free. _If I can't untie them, then I'll just bust my way out with brute force!_ "And so," Hody goes on, "I have captured King Neptune himself!" Another round of gasps. "The time has come to bid farewell to the old and ring in the new." I can feel the ropes beginning to snap as they dig into my wrists. "In three hours, at Gyoncorde Plaza, I will take the head of this traitorous king!"

The ropes burst apart. I rub the raw, bleeding skin on my wrists for a moment, then get to work untying the ropes keeping my tentacles in place and my head up against the metal pole. Hody goes on and on in his speech of zeal, but I'm uninterested.

Just as I'm entirely free, someone notices and alerts the crowd to my escape. "Hold it!" The fishman who showed me the wanted poster exclaims, fearfully waving a kitchen knife at me. With a puff of haki from a finger I flick the knife out of his trembling hand, grab his wrist and pull his arm behind him, locking it in place against his back. He shrieks in fright, and everyone around gives some space.

"Who let her loose!?" A woman gasps.

"I think she did herself!"

"Quiet!" I growl, with the man's head constricted in a tangle of tentacles. "If you don't wanna see this fella's head snapped clean off his neck, you'll tell me what I wanna know!" I threaten.

"What do you want?" Asks a voice from behind.

_A ride outta here'd be nice… but what I really need is…_ "Tell me where I can find Jinbei!" The people answer only with frightened murmurs. "Did I stutter!?" I yell. "Jinbei! The ex-Shichibukai! The first mate a' the Sun Pirates! I know he's here somewhere; now where is he!?"

"W-Why do you want to…"

"That ain't none a' your business! Now tell me!"

A fishwoman steps forward. "N-No one knows for sure!" She says. "But… I'm certain he'll try and save the king!"

_The pirate gives a damn about this country? _"Gyon-whatever Plaza, right? Which way is it from here?" Fearful silence. "Answer me!"

The man whom I've entangled squeaks an answer. "Th-that road to your left... the big one!" I glance to my left, behind the crowd, to the wide market street with all the shop windows and doors boarded up. "It'll take you straight there…! Promise!"

I hesitate a second. "You better be tellin' me the truth." I whisper into his ear, then heave him over my head and into the crowd, clearing a path for me to dash through and flee.

No one bothers giving chase. Not long after I've escaped them I learn why. The "new residents" from the Fishman District that Hody spoke of are stirring up a whole mess of trouble all over the island. Shops are being ransacked, public works vandalized, and anyone who gets in their way is attacked. It takes some willpower from me to turn a blind eye and keep on towards Gyoncorde Plaza, but I do so. Even when one of the fishmen from the District recognizes me, I ignore him and keep on running. I know I'm heading in the right direction – I recognize some landmarks from when Keimi was showing me around the island – it's just a matter of time.

I know I'm nearing the plaza when the sounds of a mighty battle greet me from far in the distance. Massive explosions, the clanging of blades, the screaming of men; it's a cacophony I know too well, but this time it fills me not with dread, but the energy to continue on. I take a quick minute to catch my breath, then ascend the closest thing to get a better view. When I reach the top of the conch shell-shaped building, a scene of great destruction looms before me.

The plaza is chaos, death. Tens, hundreds of thousands of combatants – fishman, human, wild beasts, even the Kraken, the great octopus from my voyage to Fishman Island is here, all trampling over the corpses to tear each other apart. The Thousand Sunny is on the battlefield as well, as though it were itself a combatant. _Maybe it __**is**__, if Sir Franky's behind the wheel. Guess the Straw Hats're here too. Big surprise._ I spy someone large and with a merfolk figure, whom I assume to be Shirahoshi. _She didn't look like the fightin' type at all; ain't it dangerous for her to be here?_ I think to scan for Jinbei, but everyone else is too small to make out, so back down to the ground I drop, towards the plaza, with Shirahoshi as my guidepost to the center of the conflict.

I get ready to defend myself as soon as I enter the plaza, but there seems to be only one side present: Hody's. The Kraken has left, the Thousand Sunny I can't spot either. _Either the Royal whatevers ain't all here yet, or he didn't take long wipin' 'em out. So what's that mean, only the Straw Hats are left?_ Ignoring the angry fishmen, many of whom recognize me with mixed reactions, I charge through the crowd, tossing bodies left and right without thought towards anything but finding my target.

And when I reach the center of Gyoncorde Plaza, where a great clearing has formed to serve as a stage for the battle remaining, I spot, alongside the Straw Hat Pirates, the man whose face has haunted so many of my dreams. "Jinbei…" The name passes over my lips like the breath of a ghost. The whale shark fishman has aged since his wanted poster photo was taken, but his look has changed little. He is still a behemoth of a man, with the same fierce eyes, tusked frown, tied-back hair, and bush-like beard. His skin is a pale ocean blue, and on his chest, only half visible behind the white, leaf-printed kimono he wears, is the emblem of the Sun Pirates, burning red.

"JINBEI!" I scream into the sky, my voice echoing over the battlefield. He, along with Hody, all his lieutenants, every Straw Hat Pirate, all the fishmen thugs behind me, and even Madam Natsu, whom I had spied fighting side by side with Sanji, turns my way. His face is unwavering, stoic. He silent, as is everyone, for this brief moment in time. It irritates me. Everything about him irritates me, fills me with a fury I'd never felt before in all my life.

"Squid-head!" Monkey cheers from afar, as though he'd completely forgotten he saw me just an hour ago. A couple of the other Straw Hats give similar greetings, but I ignore them. _I been waitin' a lot longer than two years to see this fella; ya'll can wait._

"Ain't you gonna say somethin'?" I yell at Jinbei, making my way across the blood-stained clearing towards the silent, unmoving man. "Nothin'? Not even a 'Who're you s'pposed to be?' " I crack my knuckles. "Well, fine. Make it simple for me."

"I know who you are." He says, sharply cutting into my words. His voice is a growl, like a boulder rolling down a hill. "I was told of your coming." He takes a step towards me, with a deep breath. "Today has been quite the day for ghosts of the past."

"Yeah, ain't it?" I growl through my teeth. "You oughta know why I'm here then, Sun Pirate."

"For revenge, yes, Sinagra?"

A spark of anger ignites inside me. "You… how DARE you say that name!?" I snarl. "After what you did to 'em! To me! This is retribution, Jinbei!"

I hear a couple voices mumbling things like "What are they talking about?" "What's going on?" They are no matter.

"So it is." Jinbei exclaims. But as he says it, his voice trails to a mere whisper, and his eyes move from me to up in the sky, and his stalwart facial expression for the first time fades, darkens with a mote of fright. Not only him, but all those around us. The fear, wherever it is stemming from, is spreading. "But… perhaps it should wait." He mutters. "Wait until this battle is-"

"NO!" I scream. "No more! I've waited long enough for this!"

"Aki, behind you!" Natsu exclaims, before disappearing into the crowd. While Jinbei's voice holds no power towards me, hers does. Slowly and with great trepidation, with mobs of fishmen fleeing past me I turn around, I behold a sight that sends the chill of death into my soul.

Noah hangs in the sky. Like a great cloud of wood and metal it sends its shadow to blanket the land. _How the hell…!? How's that ol' hunk a junk movin' on its own? Wait a sec – Vander, you crazy asshole! You threw the goddamn thing!? _ It's pressing hard against the bubbles surrounding Fishman Island, so hard that it's amazing they haven't broken already. Some of the gigantic chains dangling from its hull have broken through to scrape the ground, but the bubble is still holding, somehow. _If it breaks through… that's it for the island and everyone on it. Vander, what the hell's wrong with your head? Your darlin' girl's on this island – you tryin' to kill her now!?_

I swing back towards Jinbei, who spots my fury directed back at him. For a moment our eyes pour into one another. His aren't angry, they aren't afraid, they aren't sad – I can't tell what they are. _What are those eyes? What are you thinkin', Sun Pirate? Is it surprise? Happiness? Pity?_ He speaks. "Sinagra, our battle will come, but for now it must wait! I have an obligation to these people to protect-"

"What the HELL do you know!?" I spit, stomping towards him with thunderous footsteps. "You wanna know what 'obligation' is? Obligation is when everyone you ever knew and loved, everyone who took you in, everyone who cared for you and loved you, all of 'em dyin' because a' your own cursed existence! But you? No, you don't get to die with 'em! You get to live! You get to live and suffer, with no meanin' left in your life but vengeance!" My breath, heavy, seeps through clenched teeth like a thick fog, dripping malice. "Heh, maybe this island outta get wiped clean off the map. Maybe I oughta drag that ugly ass boat down here myself, and then maybe you'd know how it feels, huh? Maybe then we'd be even!"

"No! No, you can't! Sinagra, please!" Jinbei pleads, but his words fall on deaf ears. My anger, my raw hatred towards this one man, it's consumed me. It's bypassed all logic, all reasoning and moralities. I've transformed into the grudge I bear. Spotting one of Noah's chains dragging against the ground nearby, I dash towards it. It's so large it's unearthing hills of dirt from underneath the plaza with ease, smashing through scores of bodies like a finger through sand. But while everyone else is fleeing, I aim straight for it, and when I am close enough, I leap high into the air and land onto one of the massive chain links. As soon as I do, as though it recognizes its passenger has boarded, I feel a tremor in the chain, and a great groan echoes through the sky.

Noah begins to lift. _The hell!? Why's it goin' up now? Unless…_ Looking upwards, towards the vessel's bow, I find just what I expect to. The figure of Shirahoshi, arms and tail stretched wide in a protective stance, floating high in the sky via a large coral bubble around her waist. _No way! Is she really gonna…? She's gonna sacrifice her own life for the island?_ It seems that she does; she pulls upwards, swimming through the air as though it were water, flying towards the edge of the bubble as fast as she can, and Noah reacts. I nearly lose my grip, but hold steady. _But if she's pullin' it up, then… I ain't gonna be able to…_ I look back down, at the sizeable distance between me and the ground far below, where Jinbei still stands, along with a gigantic, balloon-like fishman nearly half the size of the Kraken itself. And near him…

"Natsu!" I yell into the wind. There is only one thing that has torn me from my duty in life, only one thing that has given me pause, that could burn as bright as the flames of revenge in my soul. So to see the man I despise more than any other next to the woman I love with all my heart, what choice have I but to let go of the chain to save her?

Like a spear I plummet towards the earth, back to the grand battle. I can't tell whose side anyone is on. _Are the New Fishman Pirates still under Hody's control? Is Jinbei fightin' with the Straw Hats or is he workin' alone? …Does it matter? _The balloon fishman moves in the way of my point of landing. _Bad move there, big fella!_ He doesn't even notice me, the fishwoman bullet from the sky. Pulling a fist back behind me, I fill it full to bursting with haki, then bring it down hard onto the top of his skull with an impact so tremendous I can feel it still lingering in the air even after the man lets out a howl of pain, falls forward in defeat, and I slide down his spine to the ground.

With dirt under my feet again, the three of us – Natsu, Jinbei and I – now stand in a triangle, no more than ten yards in between each of us. "Madam Natsu! Are you okay?"

The clamor of the battle fills the air around us, but still I hear her words clearly, as though they were spoken directly into my ear. "I'm fine… Aki."

A wind of relief falls over me. "Oh, thank goodness." I sigh. Then, turning my eyes to my left, towards Jinbei's mountainous frame, my relief transforms into confident determination. "So what d'you say we take this asshole out together, huh?" I grin. "End everythin' once and for all?"

The hesitation after which her answer comes sends the tiniest light of tension in me. But the answer itself shocks me whole. "No."

"No…?" I repeat. My gaze leaves Jinbei's eyes, for a moment, though his stays locked onto mine. "What do you mean, 'no'?"

"I'm not gonna fight him." She says.

It takes a second for me to put two and two together. "I gotcha." I say. "Don't worry, Madam. I won't think a mote less a' you if you don't feel safe fightin' him. He was a Shichibukai after all, and-"

"It ain't that, Aki." Natsu breaks into my sentence.

Again her words leave me at a loss. "Well… then what is it? Why not!?"

"Because it's not the right thing to do."

_'Not the right thing'!?_ The look on her face tells me she is entirely serious in what she says. _But why!?_ "How ain't it?" I raise my voice. "How the hell ain't it the right thing to do!?"

"Because…" She shouts. "Because he doesn't deserve it!"

What was just a moment ago shining confidence is now transforming itself into simmering disbelief. "Y-You ain't serious…" I gasp, my teeth clenched.

"I am. I've learned a lot of things in the past few days." She walks, and the triangle shifts, no longer equilateral, but acute, the distance between her and the Sun Pirate closing. "I'm sorry Aki, but my views have changed. I can't let you kill him."

For a moment, I can't speak a word. My eyes open wide, my lower lip quivering, only soundless air escapes my mouth. Barely even a thought is formed. Jinbei breaks the silence. "Natsu, you don't have to-"

His voice brings me back, and it breaks me. Whatever was holding me together still, it just snapped in two. "YOU!" I yell, fire in my throat. "What'd you do to her, Sun Pirate!?"

"Do? I did nothing, Sinagra."

"LIES!" I scream.

"Aki, it ain't - he's tellin' the truth, he didn't-"

My breathing erratic like a choked laugh, I grip tightly at the side of my temple with a hand, pulling on the fin in anger. "I knew it… I knew this'd happen!" I growl. "I kept tellin' you, Aki – if she stayed with you any longer she too'd fall! Like Haru, and the Straw Hats, and like everyone else!" I let go, and put my arms in front of me, ready to fight. Jinbei and Natsu both do the same. "And she did! You ain't the Natsu I knew!" I yell. "You're just another body, standin' in between me and him!"


	75. Chapter 75

**Seventy Five – Love and Revenge! Aki vs. Jinbei & Natsu**

The first attack is from Jinbei's hand. As I charge, hellfire pouring from me, he brings his right hand in front of him, and from it, water drips. It's the same move Hody used on me when we fought, though Jinbei's control far surpasses his. With a movement like ripples in the air, he controls the water, forming it into needles, throwing them directly at me with incredible speed and precision.

I don't even know if I deflected them with haki or not. My rage has so taken over me, pain is a thing my body has forgotten. As the projectile attack leaves me completely unfazed, I continue my charge and leap into the air to bring a fist down upon him with all the fury and indignation a soul can muster. He blocks with the thick bone of his forearm, though the force still pushes him back in his stance a step. As soon as I land, I ready another attack from my other hand, an uppercut aiming straight for his jaw. But as soon as I do, I find my arm stuck in place, a metal chain wrapped tight around my wrist. I follow the chain back with my glance, to where it ends at Natsu's palm, into her Devil's Fruit pocket. Our eyes meet, malice, sorrow, and remorse all intertwined for just a flash, before she yanks on the chain. As soon as I yank back however, she lets go, letting the chain fly free. Her strength is no match for mine and she knows this. The move was simply to give her fishman ally enough time to ready his attack. A sickening feeling wells up in me for a moment, then all my insides are shifted about like a great fist collided itself right into my gut with tremendous force.

But no one touched me. "The hell was that…?" I growl, coughing up a splatter of spit and blood. "Haki?"

"Fishman Karate has no need for haki." Jinbei says, several paces away, his knees and elbows bent in right angles in a low stance, his hands clenched into tight fists. "We control the water, even if be it in the air or inside of our opponents!" He moves to send another attack my way, but this time I'm ready for him. I charge at the man, a thick layer of armament haki protecting my front and center.

The impact is torrential, but I do not flinch. I cut through the flood like the hull of ship. Natsu is right behind me, but she's not who I am after. She's only a thorn in my side now. No, my target is directly in front of me. The failed water-controlling attack shows Jinbei he won't be able to rely on that anymore, and he knows it. He readies his fists, and I mine, and in a violent clash they impact, knuckle against knuckle. We both flinch for a sliver of a moment, then ready our next attacks. My second opponent, however, won't let our duel be so simple. She wants a melee, and I cannot underestimate her. Despite our difference in strength, we share the same art, and so she knows its weaknesses. My weaknesses. And her being just over half my height gives her ripe opportunity to strike directly at that weakness.

I fail to get the needed haki to the back of my knee in time to deflect the strike. My leg buckles as the knife edge of her hand cuts into the tendons. It's just enough movement for Jinbei to seize; he swings a powerful right hook at my head. Instead of trying to block it, I do the opposite – I continue to fall as Natsu's strike would have me. But instead of tumbling on the ground defenseless, I catch my fall with my tentacles, then push myself back up into a standing position just in time to catch Jinbei's arm with mine, and use the momentum of his own attack to swing him around in a circle, then hurl him across the walkway, over a short wall nearby, into a raised garden, where he crashes into the trunk of a tree, snapping it in two like a twig.

Despite the blow to her partner, Natsu does not pause for even a moment. She has another attack lined up, a leaping uppercut aimed for my jaw, a stunning blow… if it would connect. But all my limbs are free, and that's more than enough to constrict her by the arm and hold her up against the same wall I threw Jinbei over. I raise my fist, and for only the briefest of moments it stops. All the memories of her, of the times we shared, and of everything keep it still. But just as quick as it stops, it moves again. My fist flies.

But it does not connect. In the center of her chest, just below the neck, my arm is half in this world, half wherever her pocket takes things. Horrified for a moment, I pause, and she uses that confusion to open another hole in her pinned arm, and pull out from it a long metal pole, which she bashes my tentacle with near the base at the side of my head, forcing me to let go. The pain of the attacks throbs horribly; I clutch my temple reflexively to try and ease it.

Natsu's on the move again, but I'm on to her. She tries to swing the pole downward at my neck, on the same side of the tentacle she struck before. She knows I can't yet use it to block the attack, and I don't have time to block with anything else. She's hoping for a damaging attack, but I have still have an ace up my sleeve, and I use it.

The pole strikes against a liberal expenditure of haki, nearly all of what's left in me, and the attack is wasted. I bring a tentacle from behind to hold tight of the pole. I expect Natsu to relinquish the weapon, but she does the exact opposite: she pulls hard on it, bringing me down to her, and before I can react, with all her strength, sends a powerful punch upwards, straight into my gut, knocking the wind out of me for a moment. My breath still not yet my own, I, stunned in a half-rage, throw a desperate punch at her cheek, but just as before, it passes straight through into who-knows-where. "Aki, please. Stop this." She says, her voice firm, but concerned. I pull my fist out, sucking in a heavy breath. "You can't hurt me as you are… Please, just-"

Her words fall short as my fist plows into her solar plexus, the last of my armament haki laughing in the face a Devil's Fruit power. She tries to wheeze a word, but the breath is gone. With a quick chop to the back of her neck, striking the right nerve, she lets go of the metal pole and slumps into an unconscious heap on the ground.

I let her be; there is still another. "Ain't kept you waitin', have I?" I snarl, sensing the man approaching from behind. Turning around I find Jinbei, standing tall and fierce. There is a bloodstain in his hair, most likely a gash on the back of his head from where he hit the tree.

"You've a stronger punch than I'd imagined." He groans, dusting off his sleeves. His eyes glance down to Natsu for a moment, fallen on the ground. After a heavy, unsettled breath through his nostrils he says "Is she dead?"

"What d'you care?" I spit. "She's human."

"And why would that matter?" He says with a tusked frown. "If I were like these scornful men Hody leads, why would I be fighting against them, Sinagra? I have long since lost my youthful malice towards humans."

"So what if you have!? Repentance ain't gonna do a damn thing to change the past! It ain't gonna bring back the dead, and it ain't gonna stop you from joinin' 'em." I clench my fists, cracking my knuckles as I do. "It's too little, too late. This is all I got left. It's all I am! It's my only purpose! So put your fists up and let's end this!"

At that moment, over the plaza's Den Den Mushi intercom system, a voice cries to all who may hear it. "To the entire kingdom! This is an official order for an emergency evacuation! Noah has lost its power and is again falling towards the island!" Everyone around us breaks into a mad fear. Jinbei and I both look up. Far past the bubble is the shadow of the giant ship, slowly, steadily plummeting.

"Sounds like your darlin' princess just kicked the bucket, Sun Pirate. Ain't that a shame?" I sneer.

After a small period of static the intercom speaks again. "Luffy! What are we going to do about Noah!?" Shirahoshi's voice echoes over the plaza.

"Okay, or maybe it was Vander." I correct myself in a mumble.

"We'll figure out something! Just don't worry!" Comes Luffy's voice in response.

Jinbei has a proud smile on his face at the sound of the young captain's determination. _Like's he's completely forgotten…_ "Ignorin' me!?" I growl, and begin my charge at him once again. He turns around, a split-second too late. "You ain't got that luxury!"

My fist buries itself into his large gut, knuckles digging into organs and fat. One last voice speaks over the intercom. "Hey… Straw Hat." It is Prince Fukaboshi, breathless, hurt. He coughs. "I discovered Hody Jones'… true face." Jinbei, quick on the return, plants his feet firm on the ground, and the two of us begin our dance of hand-to-hand combat. "Hody is no longer a man… He is a monster, brought forth by our environment." Jinbei throws a punch that reverberates the moisture in the air. I duck down low to dodge the invisible cannon, then counterattack, sweeping the ground with a low kick into his ankles to try and trip him up, but his stance is too sturdy, and my kick too weak. He doesn't even give pause, instead lifting the foot I struck and bringing its heel down atop me. I can't move; I have no choice but to lift my forearms up to block.

"The New Fishman Pirates are monsters…" Fukaboshi's voice continues, "created by an all-consuming grudge." The force of the kick shakes me for a moment, but its damage done is not deciding to our fight. I lift the foot off of me before Jinbei can remove it, pushing him off-balance for a moment, unable to form a proper guard. Capitalizing on this moment, I leap up, bringing my arms behind me, then crash both hands like a pair of blades atop his chest, striking either collarbone. "They fear that the grudge of their forefathers will be forgotten." Jinbei growls in pain, his breathing weaker from the attack. I snatch his arms up in my tentacles before he can clutch his bruised chest, then ready another attack, pulling him into a vicious fist aimed directly for his stomach. "They fear the day that the anger towards humans calms." Blood flies from Jinbei's lips, splatters of red met with the indifferent face of his attacker. With a great burst of my strength, I lift the man up over my head, and then leap into the air and throw him down to the ground like a fallen meteorite. "They don't wish for peace! They only mean to sustain the grudge! Their hatred!" I land by a pointed fence, then grab one of its bars and rip it right off. "It's too late…" Wielding it like a spear, I make my way to where Jinbei is collapsed on the ground. "We've already become infected! Somewhere in my heart, even **I** was taken in by my hatred!" I stomp one foot on top of him, keeping him down, and lift my spear-like weapon, ready to deliver the fatal strike. "But… the regrets of the dead… belong to the dead alone!" Our eyes meet. " 'Grudge', 'revenge', 'hatred'… it's all just an illusion that the living create! If we don't do something now, Fishman Island will be destroyed by its own hatred! Straw Hat, please! We don't need the past! Bring everything back to zero, so we can start again anew!"

The intercom dies out. We are frozen in place. "Why do you hesitate?" Jinbei wheezes, after a ghostly silence. "Are you swayed by the prince's words… Sinagra?"

"No!" I burst. "No, I ain't!" But that's not entirely true.

"Then why stay your hand!?" He exclaims. "Is this or is this not to be my end?"

"It is, goddamn it! You've lived long enough, Jinbei!" I lower the spear just over his heart.

He lets out a sound half a laugh, half a bloody cough. "Forty-six years isn't the age I had hoped my life would end at. A pity. Though… if it **is** to end at another's hand, yours is certainly the most deserving of the job." He let out a remorseful sigh. "At least permit this old fool some last words."

"You tryin' to beg for mercy?"

He shakes his head slowly. "Your revenge is yours to do with as you please. But… do you think it will end with my death?"

"You're talkin' about the rest a' the Sun Pirates, all your former underlin's still out there? I'll hunt 'em all down if I gotta."

He scoffs at me. "I see now why you allied with Hody; you're just like him. Madly carrying out vengeance blind to all the circumstances! You don't know a thing!"

I squint my eyes, shooting a venomous scowl down at him. "What're you gettin' at?

"Did you never wonder **why** your town was attacked? **Why** we searched for you!? Do you even know your real name!?"

I pause for a moment before answering. "No." I say. "I don't. Does it matter?"

" 'Does it…'? Of course it does!" He exclaims. "If you knew who you were, it would change your understanding of the situation entirely!"

The spear one inch closer. "Hmph. Then say it, and we'll see if determines your fate."

Our eyes burn into one another's. "Very well." Jinbei gulps, takes one last breath, and says "Your name… is…"


	76. Chapter 76

**Seventy Six – Total Disbelief! Discovering Her True Self**

"No way… No way, no way, no way!" I shout at the parchment as I sit alone in the tiny cottage inside a coral tree, in the middle of the vast undersea forest. "This ain't real! It can't be! I… I thought he was bullshittin' me, but…"

* * *

An hour ago, before Fishman Island was saved, before a young captain in a Straw Hat thwarted the plans of a nationalist rebellion, before the Sea Kings miraculously came to stop Noah's doomsday plummet, I stood over a defeated ex-Shichibukai, spear in hand, ready to pierce his heart, when he said to me something I still can't believe.

Again, it takes me a second to fully process it. "Yeah, see that ain't funny."

"You think me a liar?"

"I think you're a murderer. And sorry to burst your bubble, but in case you hadn't noticed, I ain't the kinda gal that'll get all giddy hearin' somethin' like that. So if you thought that was gonna save your sorry hide," I lower the spear inches from his nose, "tough luck." As adamant as my disbelief is though, it is not absolute. "Prove it." I say, after a pause.

Before he can (or cannot), Sanji and Roronoa both arrive on the scene. Their enemies defeated, they've come to check up on their comrade. "Jinbei!" Sanji shouts from afar. "You okay!? " _Damn it, Sanji! You got the worst timin'! And Roronoa's with him too… No way in hell can I fight both of 'em. _"Oh – and Miss Aki is with you!"

"Go to the Sea Forest." Jinbei says before the two are in earshot. "In my home there on the bookshelf there is a diary. In it you will find your answers."

I turn to leave before the others arrive and see what I've done, but just before I do, I give him the meanest scowl I can muster up. Something that'll put a fear so fierce in him, his legs will turn to jelly every time he remembers it. "If you try and flee, there ain't gonna be a safe place on earth left for you."

He laughs a broken laugh, like a man looking back on his life during his end days. "I wouldn't dare it." He says.

* * *

Though Fishman Island is saved, it was battered hard. Stragglers from Hody's army are still being rounded up. Some are resisting; most are pleading for forgiveness. _Forgiveness…_ The thought dances over top my thoughts as I'm walking down a street, citizens cleaning up the mess from the brief war. _Could I even do such a thing? No! No of course I can't!_ _I won't! _I let out a heavy sigh, stopping in my tracks for a moment and looking down at my feet. _Then why ain't you turnin' around, Aki?_ Maybe some part of me wants to believe him. It's a horrifying thing to want to believe; maybe I just want to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Oi! Hold it, you!" A gruff voice shouts. I look up to find a Ryugu guardsman looking me over. "Aha! I thought it was you! You're Mountain Fist Aki! The one who attacked Prince Fukaboshi! What do you think you're doing!?"

"Leavin'." I grumble. "You wanna get outta my way?"

My half-threat works to scare him, but he doesn't move. "I… no, I won't! There were rumors you were working with Hody Jones! You're a notorious wanted criminal!"

"Wasn't this whole island just saved by notorious wanted criminals!?"

"Er- well, yes…" He stammers.

"And ain't you got more important things to take care of right now?" I let out an audible groan. "Look, I promise I ain't gonna cause no more trouble 'round here. There, that good enough for you? Can I pass now? I got a lot on my mind right now." The troubled look on his face tells me he's conflicted. _Duties versus morales. I get that. _I press my luck and continue walking past him.

No one follows. I stick my hands in my pockets as I trudge on down the road in the direction of the island's main gate. _"Mountain Fist Aki". I wonder if that really is me. It is, ain't it? _My pace quickens, every step a fierce stomp on the bruised pavement. _'Course it is! Don't trust that Sun Pirate one bit, Aki! You find this diary a' his and when you do, you'll see there ain't gonna be a damn thing in there that says otherwise!_

The island gate is all a mess. After the evacuation order was given a mad swarm arrived to try and escape the destruction. Now that everything has cleared up, all those who managed to get out are now trying to get back in, while there are still a number trying to escape, perhaps not hearing the news, or just getting out for good measure. As a result, there's a gigantic traffic jam of people, both in the water and out. It's amazing the guards have managed to keep it from turning into total chaos. Fortunately for me, it's still hectic enough that I can squeeze my way through without anymore officials noticing.

Once I'm outside of Fishman Island's bubble and free enough that I can take a look around, I scan the sea floor far below me. In one direction is the dark recess where Noah sat for centuries, but I'm looking now for its new resting place. Just as it was about to crash into Fishman Island, Monkey saw to smash the ship to pieces, a last-ditch effort using all of his energy to save the island. But then, a miraculous thing happened. Shirahoshi brought out an amazing power, one that had remained dormant within her all her life (or so I overheard the townsfolk saying). While all those of Ryugu can communicate with the aquatic creature of their type, Shirahoshi had the power in her to speak with the Sea Kings themselves. It was then that she called out to them, and as though they appeared out of the water itself they arrived and stopped Noah's descent just in time. After that, they carried the ship down to the Sea Forest, where it would once again sleep, for how long nobody knows. I'd seen the forest before; in fact I saw it the very first day I came to Fishman Island. It also sits on the sea floor, but unlike the Fishman District, one of the giant bubbles is enclosing it.

But I never actually went there, nor even really paid attention to it. Now, as I swim closer, I can finally get a good look. Though it is technically a reef, it bears the look of a wild forest, isolated in one spot underneath Fishman Island, the only spot in the deep sea that receives the light necessary to grow. Tall stalks of coral shaped like trees with long trunks and high branches form the forest's general shape. The canopy scratches the roof of the bubble, above which all manner of creature, from as tiny as delicious little shrimp, to as enormous as a whale, swim about, allured by the forest and the light.

Descending to the bubble's edge along the sea floor, I enter through it with both reluctance and curiosity. A part of me naturally is afraid I will pop it, but of course that won't happen. Still it isn't without hesitation I pass through it, pushing a finger through, then an arm, and then clenching my eyes and mouth shut as I pass my face and the rest of my body through. Expelling what water is left in my gills, I open my eyes to a breathtaking sight. From outside the bubble I could not see it, but inside I can truly see just how colorful the Sea Forest is. On the forest floor grows plantlife of every color, size and shape imagineable – wavy green seaweed, fat purple fungi, thick blue flowers – it's a rainbow of sights. Smaller crops of coral also litter the forest, rock-hard bushes of vibrant pinks and reds and oranges. Man-made constructions are seen as well, great ships resting here and there. They are all in ruin however. Brought here by the tides, this place is a ship graveyard, where nature reclaims what's rightfully hers.

_So where's his "home"?_ _One a' these ships maybe? _I pass a glance at the closest one. A massive tree of coral has pierced through it, while smaller fauna grows over the rest. _I don't see nowhere else he could live. _Finding a tall hill relatively clear of plantlife. I ascend to the top to take a good look around. The forest is even more beautiful from up here; if I weren't so preoccupied, I'd love to simply sit up here and admire the scenery, perhaps meditate on it. But I'm not – my mind is frazzled, with a story I pray is a lie. Far in the distance I notice a structure: it's not a ship, nor is it in ruin.

It is a graveyard. A tomb, surrounded by numerous smaller tombstones, sits in the center of the forest, enclosed within the giant coral trees, and in one of those trees is clearly carved a dwelling. _That must be it. _I descend the hill, and make my way towards the graveyard.

The ground is soft as I walk through the tombstones. I read several of the names inscribed, even though I do not recognize any of them. Approaching the tomb, I recognize its beauty. A gazebo of white and gold, it stands over a stone casket, on which are carved the words "Here lies Otohime, Queen of the Ryugu Kingdom. May her vision never die in the hearts of all the world." Atop the casket is a photograph of her; a middle-aged woman, she hadn't lost an ounce of her youthful beauty. Her golden hair is held up in two loops, and her lovely smile, it is filled with unending hope. I pay my respects to her spirit before moving on.

The coral tree trunk is certainly thick enough to hold a house inside. A large door and a window can be seen from the outside, as well as a metal chimney cowl sticking out one side, not far up. I'm curious for a second as to how Jinbei made such a place, if he even made it, though I've more pressing matters to think about, and the care is lost.

"Honey, I'm home." I say with a dry irony as I let myself in. Inside is only one room. It would be a comfortable size for me, but Jinbei is a much larger person than I am. There's barely enough room in here to fit a bed that will hold his massive frame, a couple tables, a bookcase, a small fireplace, and what other things of lesser interest he has about the place. Making a beeline for the bookcase, I run my finger over the spines of the tomes, reading their titles. _"Of Fishman Karate", "A History of Ryugu", "The Rainbow Mist", "Piracy and Its Consequences"… _Jammed underneath them is another book I can't quite see. I pull it out to find it is leather-bound, and sewn onto the front cover is a patch of old cloth with the numbers "1509-1511" _Dates._ While I should be relieved that he wasn't putting me on a wild goose chase telling me about a diary, those years make me nervous. _1509 was_ _fifteen years ago… the year Redcliff was attacked…_

Carefully, so as not to damage anything, I open up the old book. In between the front cover and the first page is a piece of parchment folded up, not sewn in like all the other pages. _What could this be?_ It's as old as the book and even more fragile, yellow and worn. I sit down on the bed and slowly open it up, feeling the fibers stretch out of old age. I'm incredibly curious as to what it could be, however once it's open entirely, and I see just what is printed on it, my curiosity turns to horror.

"No way…" I gasp, then repeat, louder, "No way, no way, no way! This ain't real! It can't be!" My voice nearly fades from me. "I… I thought he was bullshittin' me, but…" But it's proof. I clench the parchment tightly in fury, nearly ripping it in my fingers, and scream "There just ain't no way!"

I hold in my hands a wanted poster with my face on it. But it is not of Mountain Fist Aki, the pirate-thief who slew a city. The face belongs to an infant squid-type fishchild, and underneath are the words: "WANTED: Storm Kingdom Princess Istia Claire. ALIVE. 100,000,000 Berries."

**-End of Volume Six-**


	77. Chapter 77

**Final Volume – Istia Returns**

**Seventy Seven – Abduction! The Plight of the Storm King**

I look at the poster over and over and over again, as though I believe it will change to show something else, but the picture remains the same. The baby is sound asleep, her image quiet, calm. I want to believe so badly it's not me, but my mind won't let me see it any other way. The color of her skin, the shape of her head, her tiny, fat little tentacles, even her nose – **my **nose – it's all the same.

I set the piece of parchment aside and lie back on the bed, looking up at the coral ceiling. _I can't believe this is real. It's just… why, of all things…? I bet you're over on the other side a' the world laughin' your ass off right now, ain't you Vivi? Oh god, and Larson too! Damn it! I can't never let that man ever, __**EVER**__ know. _I let out a huge, disappointed sigh. _So why ain't nobody come to get me yet? Surely they saw the wanted poster. If I can see the resemblance, can't they?_ I roll over, lightly punching the bed. _Or maybe they didn't get the news. The World Government made the poster, and Madam Vivi told me the Storm Kingdoms' at war with the Government, so… Someone's bound to find out eventually though, and then they'll... well, they'll come lookin' for me I guess. Ryugu's probably the first place they'll look too. _Sitting up in a jolt, I yell "Agh, but I don't wanna be a princess! I seen first-hand what bein' royalty's like; I don't want none a' that!" Groaning at the thought, I pick up Jinbei's journal once again. _Might as well read it. Maybe my guess is wrong. Wouldn't that be swell…_

* * *

"October 14th, 1509. Western Grand Line.

Not even a month has passed since the Sun Pirate flag first flew and already we've a job, and from the Storm King no less. King Istia Aegir... I've heard great stories of the man. Not only a ruler, but a fighter as well – a great war hero. Truth be told, I've envied him. He is the same age as I, but while I was just a mere soldier of Ryugu, he had already become king, and was sailing to battle against the World Government right alongside his men in titanic clashes of power. I am not alone; the others of the Fishman District also hold him in high regards. My good friend Arlong called him a 'shining example of a fishman, one fighting the human oppression head on, with all his might'. He forgets the Storm Kingdom, though primarily a fishfolk nation, has a significant human population as well. I didn't tell him that, of course, but I kept it in the back of my mind. Still, I too hold the man in great esteem, and to know now that I will be meeting him face-to-face… It would be a lie if I said I was not excited.

Tiger is skeptical, though. 'What in the world does the mighty Storm Kingdom need with a motley pirate crew?' He said upon reading the letter. I have to admit I was, and still am wondering the same thing, but my anxiousness leaves me caring little. It is three days' return to Fishman Island, and then a week's travel to Sea Stone Fortress, entrance to the Storm Kingdom. I'll continue this journal on our arrival."

* * *

"October 31th, 1509. Sea Stone Fortress.

I'd always heard the eastern half of the Grand Line was the most chaotic of seas, but this is mad! Were we not a crew of mer and fishfolk, I am almost certain we would be dead men. In our short time here, we've seen tidal waves that change directions to hunt down ships, Sea Kings that fly in the air and spit fire, even holes in the ocean! Yes, holes! It's as if some insane god scooped up a part of the sea for himself and forgot to put something in its place! Suffice to say, it took much longer than we thought to reach Storm Kingdom borders, two weeks as opposed to the projected one. I worried for the crew's morale on several occasions, but today, seeing the glistening black tower of Sea Stone Fortress on the horizon, everyone cheered up instantly, celebrating even.

We were stopped before we could enter the kingdom of course. Almost instantly the Storm's mighty navy blockade came into view, and from it, two cruisers, both twice as large as our meager galleon, approached us long before we reached the island, cannons locked on, soldiers lined up on the side of the ship, at the ready to attack should they need to. Our man in the crow's nest gave them a sign of peace, though that did not visibly lighten their caution.

'What business do you have within the Storm, pirates?' The captain of one of the ships shouted once the cruisers and our ship were side by side. We'd all seen Stormies before of course, but only orphans and ruffians in the Fishman District. This man was nothing of the like. He stood tall and proud, wearing a regal uniform in the traditional Storm colors of navy and grey, with holes along the sides where shown were his gills. At his side was a thin sheathed saber, which he no doubt employed with skill.

'My name is Fisher Tiger,' Tiger shouted to the man, 'captain of the Sun Pirates! Our presence has been requested by King Aegir himself!'

I expected a laugh from some of the Storm soldiers, but they were silent. Their discipline was something to be admired. The captain stepped forward, a hand ever present resting on the hilt of his blade. 'The king is not a man to take company these past years. What proof do you have to substantiate your claim?' Captain Tiger held in front of him the document we received, and was allowed to board the Storm vessel. Not long after, their soldiers stood down, and we were promptly given an escort to the island.

Once we were there, we had a much appreciated rest from the madness it took to get here. That paper from the king treated us to a fine meal, which the boys didn't waste a second tearing apart. We anchored there that night, glad to finally get a night's rest."

* * *

"November 1st, 1509. Orbis Tertius.

There is only one means to Orbis Tertius, capital of the Storm Kingdom. The island on which it rests on is directly in the center of three other islands, Sea Stone Fortress being one of them. The lines that run from the capital to each of those three islands are the only paths free from the Storm, the deadly phenomenon from which the kingdom gained its name. And of those three, the winds only blow towards the center from Sea Stone Fortress, so the other two are exits, not entrances. Because of this natural defense, Orbis Tertius is virtually untouchable.

The next morning we began our short sail to the capital, but not until we had proven there were no Devil's Fruit users on board with us. Many were offended at such a claim, but we complied regardless. It was just as simple as a jump in the ocean or the touch of sea-stone to prove we weren't; once we had all done so, I noticed the mood of our escort lighten significantly. Still, a ship was always at our side, whether for our protection, or for protection from us I did not know. Several of the men didn't see the need to stay between the two lines of towers, as the waters were seemingly calm beyond them. I too had my childish doubts, but they mattered none in our situation, so I kept them to myself. It took fifteen hours to reach our destination. Fifteen hours of nothing. By the end we were almost all tired, but as soon as we first caught sight of Orbis Tertius, all our exhaustion melted away.

I'd never thought anything could be built so high and not eventually fall to the ground, but The Eye, the great tower located directly in the center of the island, seems to defy that logic. It was not until later that I realized there is no wind in Orbis Tertius. All the sky here is still. Radiating from outwards from the Spire are a number of lesser, though still incredible, towers, of stone and glass. At the island's edge are the high walls of the city, jutting outwards in a slant instead of straight up, so that none may climb them. Between the them and the towers is the remainder of Orbis Tertius. 'Only Mariejois is larger', they say, but now as I look over its rooftops from the high walls, I wonder if man could possibly build a more impressive sight than this. The Eye is so far in the distance it is like a thin needle threading the cloudless heavens, the mighty towers below blades of grass.

'It's amazing what we can do when we're not confined to the bottom of the world, isn't it Jinbei?' Arlong had said to me not long ago. 'Just think of what Ryugu would look like were we up here.'

'It would be something.' I answered.

'So, do you have any idea why we're even here?'

'Tiger's told me just as much as he's told you.'

Arlong scoffed into the wind. 'I wonder if he's hiding something.'

'Maybe. It doesn't matter, though.'

'Gotta trust our captain, right?'

'Right.' "

* * *

"November 2nd, 1509. Orbis Tertius.

The next morning Tiger, Arlong and I were summoned to the palace. Located at the base of The Eye, it took about an hour for us to make the trek there from our ship, docked in one of the many harbors. We travelled there by gondola, down the man-made canals weaving through of the city. Arlong wanted to swim, but Tiger managed to convince him to show a little courtesy, as 'a guest of the king ought to'. Storm people can't speak underwater – it probably would be discourteous if one of us goes around showing off. I've wondered why they lack this ability, but then again so have they. All it takes is to be born in Orbis Tertius and you display the associated traits. The humans here also have twice the natural strength of any others, though I wonder what **they** lost in return… besides their hair. Arlong can't believe the races manage to live together here. I can't argue with him there. While I don't share his downright disdain for humans, I know full well the flames that spark when our races try and coexist. 'Perhaps things only seem peaceful.' I said to him. He seemed pleased to hear that.

As we approached the palace gates, I felt a nervousness in me I'd never known. Not only was the tower before us so tall it boggled the mind looking up it, but knowing I was about to meet King Aegir himself, a man I'd always held in such high regard, it was nearly too much to handle. All my training did nothing to prepare me for such a moment. However, once we were inside, into the crisp, saltless air, we were made to wait in a lavishly decorated room, and strangely enough, this time spent waiting calmed my nerves. It did the opposite for Arlong, however. He paced about the room, cursing. Tiger's face I could not read. I rarely can. He is a master of keeping secrets, but I fear he keeps **too** much in. He never speaks of what he witnessed in Mariejois when he freed so many of their slaves, and those in our crew who were among those he freed do not speak of that damned city either. I do not question our leader's decisions when it comes to the crew, but I fear his decisions when it comes to himself may come back to haunt him one day.

When the king was ready to see us we were let in. I was surprised to find only two guardsmen follow us in. 'I was expecting a platoon.' I said to them. 'Do you not think your king worth protecting?'

The young guardsmen face was unflinching as stone. 'In Orbis Tertius His Majesty's power is limitless.' He replied. The coercion worked – my nervousness returned. Cautiously we followed them to the throne room, a stern, old room that looked unchanged for centuries, where inside on a great throne of marble, King Istia Aegir sat.

He was not what I imagined. I expected a fishman of great stature, battle-hardened yet noble, but what I saw was not the face of one strong. No, this man, though he is the same age as I, was wilted, his virility faded away. He did not wear armor, as I had imagined him in my mind, but a regal robe-like vestment, and on his head was a thin crown, black as night. He was not nearly as tall as I thought he'd be either. I'd guess around nine feet, average for a fishman. Still, he greeted us with honor. 'Welcome, men of Ryugu.' He said as he stood from his throne and walked our way. 'Ah, but of course you are pirates now. You have forsaken your affiliation for adventure, yes?' A channel catfish-type, he had a habit of twirling one of his long whiskers in a finger as he spoke.

'Among other reasons, sir.' Tiger replied, his eyes lowered.

'I won't ask what those reasons may be, Mr. Fisher.' Lifting our heads, he beckons. 'Come, tell me how my brethren kingdom to the west is faring. How is old Neptune? And Otohime, is she still well?'

'They are both in good health, Majesty. They bore a daughter last year-' Tiger instantly quieted, realizing his mistake in saying that. King Aegir's only child, his daughter, Princess Claire, was abducted by the World Government years back and is still their prisoner, used to keep the Storm's armada at bay. That, I then deduced, as I saw a subtle darkness arise in his eyes as Tiger spoke the words, must be what has broken this man so.

'A daughter?' Said the king, his voice lowered a notch. We feared the worst. 'Good. That's good. I'm happy for them.' I breathed a small sigh of relief. 'What is her name?'

Tiger was still unsure if he should speak, so I took a leap of courage and stepped forward. 'Shirahoshi.' I answered.

'Ah, that's a beautiful name.' The king smiled. 'If you should see Neptune again, tell him I send my best wishes for him and his family.' Though we are silent in response, the king does not demand an answer. 'That actually brings me to why I have summoned you here. You know of what happened with my daughter Claire six years ago, yes?' We nod. 'There have been recent developments regarding the situation.'

'Has she been found?' I blurted out. It was a foolish, child-like thing to do, and I still regret it, even if the king took no offense whatsoever by it.

King Aegir shook his head. 'No… she has not. However, news came that is almost as wondrous as would be that. Before I tell you however, you must swear to secrecy that this information will not leak.'

'Of course.' Tiger said seriously.

Arlong grinned. 'For the price you're paying, I'll take whatever secret you have to my grave.' He's always been like that when it comes to money.

'I swear it upon my honor, Your Majesty.' I answered, feeling like I should say something also.

'Excellent. I believe in your trust.' He smiled faintly, resuming his seat at the throne. 'The World Government holds her no longer.' I nearly gasped. 'In fact, they never did in the first place. I have been played a fool this entire time. The kidnappers who managed to infiltrate my kingdom and steal my Claire from me? Before they could return to Mariejois they fled, taking my daughter with them.'

"What does this mean?' I replied, after a small pause of silence. "She isn't… is she still alive?"

'OF COURSE she is!" The king shouted, a newfound fury in his eyes. The sudden outburst chilled me, made my heart jump, and sent a terror into my very soul. The king almost immediately calmed himself, returning to his normal, composed manner. 'And that is to be your job: finding her.' Before we could contest the request, he continued. 'My first thought upon discovering this news was to go myself, or at least send my own men to search for her, but…' he bit his lower lip in frustration, 'if I were to do that, well… I cannot have the World Government knowing I know what I now do. It's an annoying thing, this information war I'm caught in.'

'So you turn to pirates to do your work. To a party who is not so easily tracked.' Said Tiger.

'Exactly. And not only are you pirates, but fishfolk. I feel I would trust men of no other kingdom than Ryugu or my own with such a task.'

'Your Majesty,' I proclaimed, full of zeal, 'it would be my honor to aid you.' Captain Tiger, and even Arlong, are both glad to help as well.

The king was happy to hear it. 'It does my heart well. I'll have a scribe write up our contract within the hour."

'Sir.' Tiger cut in. 'If we should find that your daughter has been…'

King Aegir, knowing full well what Tiger was trying to imply, shot him a vicious glare. 'Has been what, Mr. Fisher?' He growled.

The captain reclaimed his courage, and said clearly 'What are your orders if we find she has been killed?'

The rage hidden behind the king's face was so great, I was almost certain it would break free and engulf us all, but he kept it contained, barely, turning his back to us. His words, when they came, were heavy, full of hot breath. 'If she… if she has…' He clenches a fist tight. 'Blood for blood. No exceptions whatsoever.'

Tiger's face seemed almost troubled by this order. Arlong on the other hand – his grin was so great it shone. I was and still am indifferent. It sounds like a logical decree.

His fury calmed, the king spoke again, calmly. 'Before you go speak with my advisors, there's one last bit of information I want to give you.'

'What is that, sir?' Tiger asked.

'The identities of the kidnappers."

"This is known?"

"Yes, the two have a bit of a vanity complex it seems. As they fled Orbis Tertius they were brazen enough to pose for a man taking their picture." He pauses. "They are the World Government's top two spies, Ike and Mia Sinagra.' "


	78. Chapter 78

**Seventy Eight – Skirmish at Redcliff! The Duo That Can't Die**

"WHAT!?" I yell, standing up swiftly, nearly dropping the journal. I reread the passage again. "Ike and Mia… Sinagra…" I mutter. "That can't be right… right? No way, this is a joke. Some big joke Jinbei made up to fool me. It's gotta be! How could Mom and Dad be…?" As much as I want to deny it, a memory in the back of my mind reminds me of what King Cobra had said, and with it, everything's fitting together, all the puzzle pieces are slowly, finally making their way together. _It was my kidnappin' that Cobra swore he would never speak of again._ _He musta been against the plan, but went along anyway._ _And that's how he knew my parents._ I sigh. _This ain't right… How could I live my whole life not knowin' any a' this?_ I look in the journal again, one last time at their names written in Jinbei's elegant handwriting.

I look through the next pages, but it's not much of interest. Strategies devised by the king's advisors and what-not transcribed here and there, plans on how to get atop the Grand Line. _Looks like they hid the ship in a cove, left a quarter of the crew there, and swam to Eastport. 'Eastport'… I guess that's opposite the side we came down? _I start to skim through, looking at the dates. _November, December… C'mon, where is it!? _Jinbei logs his adventures in the Red Line faithfully, but there's only one I care about. _It was March when Redcliff fell, where's that part!?_ I come to February 27th. _There! That's close!_

* * *

"February 27th. Northern Red Line.

Tiger thinks we must be no more than two hundred and fifty miles from Mariejois. He is reluctant to go any closer, but still we press on. He knows, just as I and everyone else with us that the closer to get to Mariejois, the better of a chance we have of finding the princess. And considering no one we've squeezed information out of thus far has heard anything about a fishgirl (many had not even heard of our race) either everyone on the Red Line is an amazing liar, or she never made it out this far."

* * *

"March 2nd. Northern Red Line.

There's a bug going around the crew. It's nothing serious, and it doesn't last long, but it makes marching harder when everyone's catching it, and as a result, our progress has been slow. I was one of the first to get it, though I recovered twice as fast as the others. Arlong seems immune to the damn thing. I swear, that man never gets sick. From the looks of it, Tiger's next in line, but I'm not worried about him."

* * *

"March 4th. Northern Red Line.

I should've worried. Some other sickness afflicted the captain as well, and the two combined have put him out of commission. Aladdin knows both diseases, but he doesn't have the medicines to cure them. Tiger asked if it was fatal. His voice was hoarse, barely there.

"It isn't," Aladdin told him, "but without the medicine you'll be unable to move for… hmm… normally two weeks, but for you I'd guess about five or six days."

Tiger groaned. Everyone could tell he hated being unable to do anything. No one blamed him; we'd all feel the same way.

"The map says there's a town nearby." Macro pointed out. "We could just get the medicine from them."

Arlong didn't like the sound of that idea. "From **humans**!?" He spat.

Tiger, on the other hand, was too exhausted to care where the medicine came from, as long as it came. I took a look at the map Macro had been holding onto. The town's name was Redcliff, and it was only thirty miles to the southeast, along the side of a tall mountain."

* * *

"March 6th. Red River.

I fear I may have made a horrible choice, one that I will some day regret.

Yesterday morning, at the crack of dawn, everyone but Tiger, Aladdin, those who were sick, and three others guarding the camp left to march for Redcliff. It was suggested we only send a small party, but 'we are still on the search', Tiger had decided, and so, we kept to our protocol for entering settlements. Go big and go strong, or else these people won't tell us a thing.

The trek took all the hours of daylight and then some. We would have made it earlier, but not long before the town there was a river, and we all enjoyed a long break in the cold waters. When we reached Redcliff's gates, it was night, around nine o'clock if I had to guess. As usual, our arrival froze the town in fear. All the townsfolk in the small square at the only entrance into the city stopped whatever they were doing, became deadly silent, and stared. Even the town's lone guard, an aging man in leather armor, was terrified. I've become used to this by now, as have the rest of the crew.

Arlong loves it. 'Alright, humans!' He shouted. His voice was full of malice. 'You're going to give us exactly what we want, and you're not going to say no! Do you understand?'

The fear in the townsfolk grew, though a couple found their voices in hushed whispers. 'Who are they?' 'Are they fishfolk?'

Arlong hears them and makes his way across the square. 'Oh? You know what we are?' He sneers to the woman who recognized us. 'Tell me, how do you know of our superior race when every other disgusting worm in these lands does not?' She was absolutely horrified at Arlong's presence so near her. 'Speak!'

But it was not her who spoke, but another woman, inside one of the stores surrounding the square. 'Hey, Ike!'

'What's that, Mia my dear?'

Those names. I recognized those names instantly, as did Arlong, as did every one of us. It was then I knew: this was the place we had been searching for. Somewhere in this town was our target.

'It's gotten eerily quiet outside!'

'That it has! But I heard someone shouting!' Arlong, his attention on the woman completely gone, turned to the store where the voices were coming from. He looked ready to tear the building apart. I found in me a righteous fervor as well.

'What should we do?'

'Let's go take a look, shall we?'

'Alright!'

Then, from the store's front doors burst out a couple, a man and a woman, both human, the man with short-trimmed hair and bushy sideburns, and the woman with long, blonde hair that danced around her shoulders. Both of them had a wide smile on their face as they exited, though that smile instantly, simultaneously on both of them, turned to shock.

'You two!" Arlong exclaimed. "Who are you!? What are your names!?"

'Ike." The woman said, keeping her eyes fixed on us. He happy demeanor had become more serious, more grave.

'Yes, Mia?" The man replied.

'What do you think? Are they here for her?"

'I think that's exactly what they're here for, Mia."

'In that case…"

'…we might as well tell them."

Together they announced, their strange happiness returned, 'Our names are Ike and Mia Sinagra, and we killed the princess!' "

"WHAT!?" I yell again into Jinbei's coral tree abode without realizing. "Why would they say such a thing?" I keep reading.

'Now it was our turn to be in shock. 'You what!?' I yelled. Even the townsfolk didn't seem to have a clue what they were talking about.

'The infant child, stolen away from her doting father…" Mia began.

'…she became far too much of a hassle, so we simply got rid of her!' Ike finished.

'Dumped her!'

'Threw her away!'

'So!' They exclaimed together. 'What **will** you do about it? "

It hurts to read my parents saying such horrible things about me, but I continue, entirely absorbed into the journal.

"Arlong and I exchanged glances. I knew what his eyes were telling me. 'I'm going to kill them, Jinbei,' they said. And he knew what mine told him. 'Those were our orders.'

'Mr. Ike! Ms. Mia! Whatever are you talking about?' An old woman near to the couple said to them in a quieted voice. 'I know you! You two wouldn't hurt a fly!' The two whispered something in response I couldn't hear. The woman's eyes watered hearing it.

'Well! You made an unwise choice, then!' Arlong growls. I'd seen the look then growing in his eyes many times. Blood was soon to be spilled. 'If you had let her live, I might have let **you** live!' He turned to the crew, at the town gate blocking the exit. "My sword!"

As his blade, Kiribachi, was brought out to him, the Sinagras responded to his taunt. 'Did you hear that, Ike? He said he won't let us live!'

'A ridiculous thing to say, Mia!'

'Why's that?'

'Because he's not the one who gets to choose such a thing, of course!'

'Ooh! Excellent deduction, Ike!'

'Thank you, Mia!' They both laughed in unison. I don't think I've ever seen a stranger couple before. Their ignoring of Arlong was working to get him angry, though. He'd had enough; with that sawtooth blade of his in hand, he charged at the Sinagras. All the town citizens, save for the two spies, fled further into the town as he did.

Only the woman noticed his attack in time to duck out of the way. The man's head flew."

_Hold on, that ain't right…_ I try my best not to conjure back the image of my father's dead body in the ash, nor of this new fabricated one of his head flying off his shoulders, but I remember well enough – _That ain't how he died…_

" 'Ike!' Mia cried, sobbing into her hands.

Arlong bent down to laugh in her face. 'Where's that confidence now, human!?'

Mia's fake tears instantly stopped as she looked up at my comrade. 'Right here!' She exclaimed, and with deft speed pulled out a hidden blade. Arlong did not have the time to dodge the attack completely; the knife buried itself in his hip.

Startled, the crew moved into the square, aroused to action by the attack against Arlong, though still cautious. I was more amazed at the woman's attitude. 'Do you care nothing for your fallen ally!?' I exclaimed.

'What fallen ally?' Said a voice. I could not believe my ears when I heard it, and I when I saw whom it came from, I certainly could not believe my eyes. Ike Sinagra stood, his head back on his shoulders without a scratch, without a drop of blood on him. All the crew, everyone – we were all stunned. The only ones who weren't were the pair of spies themselves.

'Ike! Did that hurt?' Asked Mia. She sounded genuinely curious.

'Just for a tiny moment, but as you can see, Mia, I'm perfectly fine now!'

'Wow! That's amazing!'

'Isn't it?'

'Hold it!' Arlong growled. 'How did you do that!? How do you still live!? That… that's a Devil's Fruit power, isn't it!? Isn't it!?'

The two huddled together to confer. 'Should we tell him, Ike?'

'I don't see why not, Mia. He already guessed it.'

They turned back to us, each pointing an index finger proudly. 'That's right! We ate the Yin-Yang Fruit!" They pause. 'Or rather… it would've been "I" back then, wouldn't it Ike?' Said Mia.

'Yes, yes it would. You see,' he explained, 'We were both one person back then, but after eating the fruit, we were two!'"

'That's right!' Mia continues. 'But our lives are still connected. I can see and hear and sense what Ike can…'

'…as can I with Mia!'

'And not only that…'

'…but as long as one of us lives, the other shall as well!'

Together, they exclaim "Isn't that amazing!?'

We were silent for a moment; no one was quite sure what to say to that. Eventually, Kuroobi asked, in a quiet, uncertain voice, 'So… were you a dude or a chick originally?'

The excited expressions of the pair turned to disgust. 'Ike, why do they always have to ask that?'

'I can't say I know, Mia. Perhaps our existence as both male and female is an attack on their heteronormative gender construct, and as such they feel threatened, knowing the most fundamental attribute they could define themselves with no longer holds any concrete meaning.'

'Wow, Ike! I don't have a clue what you just said!'

'That's okay, Mia! I doubt anyone reading this does either!' They had a quick, triumphant laugh.

Arlong's heard enough of this nonsense. 'The only person threatening anyone here is me! I've killed men of the Fruit before; I'll do it again!' In his rage he swings his sword down upon Mia, and she merely laughs as it tears her in two. In not even a second, the blade violently dislodges itself from what's left of her, and all her bloody remains gather back together to form an entirely unharmed woman. 'It looks like they just don't get it, Ike.'

'Indeed, Mia! So then, which do you want to be this time? The carrot or the stick?'

'Oh, you're a better runner, Ike! You be the carrot!'

'So I am! And so I am gone!' The man takes off into the town. Arlong instantly gives chase, and about five of the crew follow after him.

With Ike out of sight, his partner turned melancholy. 'It's always so lonely whenever he leaves.' She sighed.

A couple of the men left behind at the gate with me had malicious thoughts in their mind. 'Oh, don't worry baby, we'll keep you company.' Chew sneered. Mia stuck her tongue out in disgust.

The fight then broke out between her and the crew. She was a much stronger combatant than I thought. I had assumed, they being spies, that their skills would be more inclined towards espionage and stealth. With the two of them as loud and boisterous as they were, I can't imagine how they managed to sneak into Orbis Tertius and kidnap the princess. I stayed on the sidelines, merely watching. The men of the crew may not have noticed it, but I did – she had plenty of opportunities to deliver a fatal strike, but she did not. She gave several wounds, just as she was inflicted several wounds (though they were healed instantly, of course), but none of them were fatal. I did not, and still do not know why she decided to keep my men alive, but her inaction left my conscience conflicted. I knew I should fight alongside my nakama, but I was still. Something did not feel right about the situation. It did not take long for my instincts to proven correct, though not at all how I would have imagined them to.

Far away, on the opposite side of town, the orange glow of a fire instantly erupted. At this moment, Mia suddenly became far more fierce a fighter, and far more a defensive, evasive one. It took me a moment, but my guess at the time turned out to be correct. Townsfolk by the dozen came swarming into the square, terrified, looking for an escape, but the only path out of the town was still being blocked off. Along with them, not even five minutes after the fire began, Arlong returned with a smile on his face and a prize obtained – in one arm he held his giant blade, and in the other, over his shoulder, was Ike, tied up, completely helpless.

I, however, was far more concerned about the blaze engulfing the town. 'Arlong!' I growled. 'Did you start that fire!?'

'Of course I did!' Arlong exclaimed, proud. 'Who else would have?'

'Damn it, Arlong! Our orders were-'

'They were blood for blood, Jinbei! Istia's heir is dead and someone must pay! This filthy nest of humans will be an example!'

'An example? Why!?'

'To keep this tragedy from repeating! It was the Storm this time who lost a princess, but what if Ryugu should be next? Otohime may try and reason with the humans, but they've shown time and time again that they understand nothing but fear!' His words stung me. I still do not know where I stand between the ideals of my captain and those of my queen. But Arlong's words… they reached deep inside me, and they kept me still. 'For every life taken here,' he shouted, slaying a town citizen who came too close as she tried to flee, 'a hundred on Fishman Island will be saved!'

I did not move. I did not join them in their slaughter, but I did not stop them either. I remained still, and I watched as countless lives were taken, by either flame or the sword. Mia tried her best to either flee the city, or stand and fight, but it was only a matter of time before she was overpowered, and when she was, when the axe's head slashed across her stomach, Arlong instantly slit the neck of her comrade. The lifeforce of both halves gone, there was no one to revive them. The 'Duo That Can't Die' meant their end."


	79. Chapter 79

**Seventy Nine – Forgiveness? Farewell to the Kingdom Under the Sea**

I have to put the journal down for a moment. Jinbei isn't the only one with vivid memories of death etched into him. When I feel I can continue on, I find there isn't much left of the entry. The town and all its inhabitants burned to a crisp, the pirates left. When they returned, Tiger was absolutely furious. He had planned not to carry out the king's order to pay death with death; if it had turned out I was dead, he was going to capture the ones responsible, if at all possible, and return them to the Storm Kingdom so that **they** may dole out their punishment. The rest of journal, the last page with any writing on it, is of their return to Orbis Tertius to deliver the bad news. There is nothing past that point. No mention of any more searching afterwards. _If this is true then he ain't part of the team that destroyed the dojo. So who was…? Tiger was dead, and Arlong was in East Blue!_

As I'm about to read what the king's response was, the great door to Jinbei's home opens with a loud creak, and standing inside the entrance is Natsu, without any striking emotion in her posture. She looks at me, but after what I did to her, I can't return her eyes. "I guess you know." She says, walking in, closing the door.

_I ain't sure I wish I did. _"If you wanna punch me in the face, go ahead. I deserve it." I respond.

"I'll save it, thanks." She smirks, sitting down on the giant bed next to me, as I lie back and stare up at the ceiling. "So you ain't gonna ask?"

"Ask what?" I mumble.

"Somethin' like 'Why didn't you tell me?' "

"Because I wouldn't a' believed you." I say, truthfully.

"But you believe me now?" She asks.

" 'Course. Ain't got much of a choice."

"Then you'll forgive him, won't you?"

I pause. The answer won't come easily. Closing my eyes, the scene replays in my mind, the burning city, the charred faces, the ashen corpses, all the death and destruction. Natsu notices my hesitation and says my name.

"I know." Opening my eyes, meeting hers, I answer. "And I will." She breathes a sigh of relief. "I got to; I'm no different than him. I coulda stopped the destruction at Goldshore… but instead I didn't do a thing: I just watched. So I gotta forgive him."

As I move to sit up, Natsu encircles my shoulders in a gentle hug. "Thank you." She says softly. "Don't ever make me fight you again, Aki."

"Madam…" I stammer, my head growing heavy with blood. "While I appreciate this, I really don't wanna stain your clothes red…" She gives a quiet laugh and lets go. _Too dang close._

As I lean back on my tentacles, pinching my flushed nose, I ask in a nasally voice "I guess this means he told you, huh?" She nods slightly. _Well a' course he did, Aki. That was a stupid question. _I hesitate a moment. "Do this… change things any? You know, like between us?"

"Say what?" She responds, with a tone suggesting offense. "You still think there's somethin'…? Look, I don't know how many times I gotta tell you this, but this 'thing'? Like, between us? It's a one-way road. I'm sorry, Aki, but I just **do not** have feelings that way! Okay?"

Surprised, I bring my head back down, nearly losing the nosebleed in the process. "Wait, hold on! I ain't talkin' 'bout that! You ain't gotta…" I play a fake sniffle. "You ain't gotta go and break my heart like that, Madam…."

Natsu groans, rubbing her forehead in disgust. "Then what **are** you talkin' 'bout?

"About what Jinbei told you, of course! Wait… he **did** tell you, didn't he?"

"About what happened at Redcliff, yes!"

"And…?"

She looks at me like I'm nuts. "Was there s'pposed to be more?"

* * *

"Madam, would you please stop gigglin'?" I groan.

She doesn't. In between laughs she squeezes in a mocking "Right away, Your Highness." I wrap my head in my tentacles and shout obscenities into them, to which Natsu gasps "Such language is unbefittin' of a princess!"

"Alright, alright. I accept this as payback, Natsu." I unwrap my head. "Are you done yet?"

"Oh, no no no. I'm just gettin' started, Princess!" She says in a sing-song, mocking tone, with her hands clasped, batting her eyelashes. _Hey… God? Yeah, it's happenin' again. If you could just kill me now, that'd be great. I can't take this no more._ "So, Claire!" Natsu continues. "What are your plans now?" I keep my mouth shut in a frown. She gets the picture. "Fine, you're no fun." A short pause. "Aki, what are you gonna do now?"

I sigh heavily. "Ain't got much of a choice, do I? I'm going to Orbis Tertius."

A voice not Natsu's nor mine replies. "To reclaim your place as heir to the throne?" Standing just outside the house, the door still wide open from when Natsu arrived, stands Jinbei. Though it was hours past, he is still battered from the battle; he's wearing a few blood-stained bandages, and I can hear his breathing is still hoarse from when I struck his chest.

We stare each other down. I can't help but let a flame of anger ignite inside me at the sight of his face, but I control it; it doesn't control me. "Hell no." I answer tersely.

"Then why?" Jinbei exclaims, still yet to enter his house. "Why even bother with your heritage? Why not simply forget it and be free?"

I take a moment to calculate my answer. _If I even oughta give this fella an answer. _"Cause runnin' away ain't gonna make no one free." I say. "Only with King Aegir's death'll my…" I glance at Natsu and correct myself, "**our** long story a' vengeance be over."

Jinbei's hesitation gone, he comes in, a small limp in his step. "Do you know what you are saying? Did you not read the journal?"

I lift the book and wave it gently in the air. "I did. You got real girly handwritin', Jinbei."

Jinbei is unfazed by the jab, though Natsu has to stifle a laugh. "What the palace guard told me was no exaggeration! King Aegir's strength is fierce enough on the battlefield, but…" A fear arises in Jinbei I had never seen. Not even when he fought me, and was on the brink of death did I see this fear in him. His eyes grow, his lip trembles, and his already wheezing breath becomes even more fragmented. "There is something in that city, something in Orbis Tertius that grants him power unfathomable. You… read the final entry, didn't you?"

"No, I didn't." I slowly respond.

"I'll tell you, then." He takes a moment to compose himself, closing the front door behind him and sitting down on the roughly-sanded flooring, cross-legged. "We were lucky to escape Orbis Tertius with our lives. When we returned with the bad news, the king's rage was unparalleled. I'd seen terror break many a man's mind, but never before had I seen the terror itself manifest. His fury was fire in the air, searing my skin, shaking my bones." He points to his left eye, where over it is carved a jagged scar. "This scar didn't come from a blade. It was a gift from your father, given with naught but an emotion."

His fear, though it tries, does not find its way to me. "So he's pissed." I scoff. "Guess it runs in the family, 'cause he ain't the only one."

Silence fills the room for a moment, everyone deep in thought. Finally, Jinbei rises to his feet, and asks, his fright subsided, "You are absolutely sure, then?"

I stand as well. "Didn't I say I was?"

"And you as well, Natsu?"

"I am." She answers, then shifts to a mocking tone. "The poor princess wouldn't last a day by herself." I lower my brow in disgust. _She ain't never gonna quit it, is she…?_

"Very well." He replies. "Then allow me the chance to lessen my guilt, if only a little, by letting me take the both of you there."

_What now? _"That'd be greatly appreciated!" Natsu exclaims. "Of course we'll accept your offer!" I'm not as thrilled to hear the news as she is, and she can see it. "We will, won't we Aki?"

It isn't with ease that I form an answer. "Yeah… sure." I say, my voice low, my tone guarded.

The mood in the room becomes tense. Neither Jinbei nor I will continue the conversation, so Natsu takes the job. "So… when'll we leave?"

"As soon as possible, I would like." Answers Jinbei. "I'd prefer it if the Straw Hats did not know of this."

"Heh, never thought I'd be agreein' with you." I remark. "Where're they at, anyway?"

"Drinking the night away most likely." Jinbei says. I look outside the window, and sure enough, it's become dark. "It's been two years since my ship's last been outside the dock, but it should still sail. I will mention however," His tone turns grave, "Though the Storm Kingdom is not far into the New World, the short distance there will still test every ounce of our skill. So I will ask again, one last time. Are you both certain this is what you wish to do?" Even though he asks, he knows our answer will not change. We tell him yes. "Very well. Meet me in the harbor by 6 A.M. You may make use of my house to get some sleep. Trust me: you'll need it."

* * *

The sleep I receive is little, and restless at that. Thoughts of anticipation, of dread, of anxiety, they all keep me awake for some time. That the love of my life is sleeping on the opposite side of the bed doesn't help things either. I mean… it **is** a pretty huge bed, but… still. So I'm not exactly the most energetic of fishwomen when Natsu shakes me awake, demanding we hurry. We only take a brief moment readying ourselves to leave, Natsu having everything she needs stored away wherever it is her Devil's Fruit stores things, and I simply having nothing to bring but a small pouch and the clothes on my back.

"Natsu?" I say, as we near the edge of the Sea Forest's encasing bubble.

"Yes, Princess?" She replies with a smile feigning innocence.

I make a noise somewhere between a curse and a sigh, sagging my shoulders. "How were you plannin' on gettin' back up to the island?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… I don't see no boat or nothin'…"

She play-punches at my side. "That's what I got you for, of course."

"M-Me, Madam?"

"Well, yeah… what, I can't get a ride?"

I start to grow nervous. "N-no! I mean… well yes! Yes, you could! Of course I would! I'd be glad to! But… I- that is… you need a bubble to breathe! I can't swim inside a bubble full a' air…"

Thankfully, as I lost my bubbly coral somewhere between the townsfolk tying me up and swimming down to the Sea Forest, Natsu pulls out of her arm her own. "I'll just keep it around my head then. How 'bout that?"

"I- well yeah, that'd work, but… don't the sea water hurt you now? I thought Devil's Fruit user's can't even touch it." _Come to think of it, how'd you even get down here in the first place?_

"It doesn't hurt, it just…" She makes a look that suggests something unwanted, painful even, in the near future – something to dread, "It just drains every bit of energy outta me. It makes me so exhausted I can barely even move a muscle."

I take a moment to think that over. "You sure, then?"

"No. But we ain't got much of a choice, do we? Look, I'll be fine. I won't like it… but I'll be fine."

"If you say so, Madam." Squeezing the small stick of coral, she forms a bubble around her head. I kneel down, my back to her. She hops on, riding piggyback. "Ready?" I ask.

"Let's just get it over with." She replies. Hesitating a moment out of concern for her safety, I plunge into the ocean.

As soon as the water touches her skin, her body goes limp and she becomes dead weight in my arms. I nearly let go of her, but reflexively grab her with a pair of tentacles, holding her against my back. I look behind me to make sure she's alright. "I'm… okay…" she assures me, though her voice is no more than a whisper, barely audible. _I hope for your sake you know what you're sayin', Madam._

I want to take it slowly as I swim us up to Fishman Island, but we're pressed for time. _And even then, the sooner I get her out a' the ocean the better. _About halfway between the Sea Floor and Fishman Island, Natsu whispers "This is actually… kinda nice…" _W-what? Where'd that come from?_ "I've never been… able to swim with you… before… I'm jealous." My heart skips a beat from the shock of the tender words, and I let go of her for just a fraction of a second, though I catch her before she starts to fall, keeping a tighter hold on her this time. "Aki…" she mumbles. "I swear… if you get a nosebleed now… of all times… I'm gonna kill you." _It ain't my fault, Madam! A girl puts sweet words in my ear and a pair a' boobs on my back and I just…!_ It's a good thing I can't talk at the moment, or I might have said that out loud, and then she certainly **would** have killed me.

By the time we reach Fishman Island's gate it is 5:30, and then it is only a brief swim to shore. I lay her down on the ground as soon as we reach land, not far from the cove where first came to Fishman Island. She looks like she just swam across the ocean she's so exhausted, breathing heavily, barely able to move.

"Is she going to be alright?" A voice asks. A mermaid, one of Keimi's friends who works with her at the café actually, spots us as we arrive.

"I'll be good…" Natsu replies in one tired breath. "I'm a… a…"

"A Devil's Fruit user." I finish.

"Yeah… that. What time is it?"

"We got a little less than half an hour." I answer.

Natsu groans in disgust. "No time to… to sit around then. Gotta…" She tries to push herself up but her muscles haven't yet recovered enough, and she falls back to the ground.

"Hold on, I'll keep carryin' you."

"Sorry 'bout that." She sighs.

I assure her it's no problem and lift her up. With her safely on my back, I turn to the young mermaid, and ask "Madam, d'you know the way to the harbor from here?"

She isn't listening. Or perhaps she's choosing not to answer – her mind is elsewhere. "Hey, wait a second…" She says, her face turning angry. "I thought I recognized you! You're that woman who assaulted the prince!" _Ah crap. Here we go._ "I was there at the café that day! Yeah, that was you alright!"

"Aki, what in the world did you do this time…?" Natsu grumbles into my shoulder blade.

"Nothin'! I… okay, I did do somethin', but it was like a month ago! We're on good terms now I swear!" The mermaid's arms are crossed; I don't think she's buying it. "Please, Madam… I swear I ain't never gonna bug none a' ya'll no more – we're just lookin' for the harbor so we can leave in peace. So please?"

I guess my pleading worked, because she gives us vague directions. "Exact opposite side of the main gate. You can take a tram there."

I thank her profusely. Natsu tries to be as polite, but she's too exhausted. We leave quickly, time not on our side.

* * *

"Seriously, Aki." Natsu says as we're both sitting on the tram, en route to the harbor, her energy fully recovered. "The prince? You randomly decided to attack the prince?"

"I didn't know who he was! I thought he was like… a thug or somethin'!" I try and convince her. "And it weren't random: he called me 'Madam'! I wasn't about to let that one slide."

"Aki, do you even remember **why** I suggested you start usin' that? It was an act of kindness; he was tryin' to be polite."

"Yeah, well… I..." I'm tongue-tied, but luckily the harbor just then comes into view, and saves me from this awkward exchange of words. It's smaller than I expected it to be. _Guess it makes sense that mer and fishfolk don't got as much use for boats. _Of the vessels I can see, most of them are coated in coral bubble. It's a strange spectacle, seeing entire ships, from sail to hull, with a layer of bubble around it, but I suppose that's the only way to sail down here.

The tram stops and lets us off at a small station in the middle of the harbor, and waiting there for us is Jinbei. He's impossible to miss – a great blue statue standing out among the hustle and bustle of people moving every which way to load and unload goods. As soon as he notices us he says, in a hushed exclamation, "Good, you're here. We have to move, quickly."

Natsu looks at her watch. "We're on time, what's the rush?"

"The Straw Hats." He replies. I fear for the worst. _This ain't gonna be good news…_ "They just learned of our flight; they're probably on their way here right this instant." He motions towards one end of the harbor, where in the distance I can clearly spot the lionhead bow of the Thousand Sunny.

"Is that a problem?" Natsu asks.

"Knowin' them Madam," I say, "it ain't yet… but it probably will be eventually."

"Unfortunately, I must concur with the princess." Jinbei says reluctantly. I shoot him an evil eye at the last word. "I-I mean… with Sinagra. Apologies." He corrects himself, then clears his throat. "Come. Our boat awaits." _Dang. I was hopin' to sneak by Thousand Sunny and find my old pack a' stuff… though I guess if they're fixin' to followin' us, it won't be long before I see 'em again anyway._

He leads us with haste to his ship. Not incredibly large, but not small either, he tells us it was once a Marine vessel. Like many of the others it is coated with a bubble full of air over the deck. "You saw the photograph in the newspapers two years ago, yes?" He asks, as we approach its starboard side. "This is the boat that delivered us safely out of Marineford that day. So, I'll trust it to do the same once more."

Boarding the ship, we find a crew of nine, seven fishmen, two merman, keen to set sail. I'm curious as to how he managed to scrounge these people up in such little time, but keep my questions to myself. "Everything's ready, Captain." An merman remarks. He's far past the age of thirty, which is when merfolk gain the ability to split their tail in two, rendering them able to walk on land, but for some reason he decides to keep it together. He has on a black vest similar to the kind Monkey wears, but buttoned in the center, and his long, obsidian-black hair is tied back in a large ponytail. "These are the two passengers then?" His voice is calm and collected as he looks Natsu and I over. He pays special attention to me. I don't like it. I give him the same treatment, our eyes locked onto one another, until at least he pulls them away.

"That they are." Jinbei answers, then turns to the entire crew. "Alright, men! Last chance for anyone to turn around. Considering the sea we're about to be sailing, I won't think any less of you should you choose to stay home." He waits a moment for a response, but none come.

"You know, Jinbei…" I can't help but interject, stepping forward with a shrug. "I heard a Marine captain once say the same damn thing to his men about the first half a' the Grand Line. And you know what? Not a single one a' them soldiers turned around." His small crew flashes proud smiles.

One even finds its way to Jinbei's face. "Do you know what they call the first half of the Grand Line?" He says, with an admonishing voice. "All those who have traversed the New World look back on the western seas with the same name…"

"Paradise!" One of the fishmen blurts out.

Jinbei's stoic expression finally breaks. "Oh come on! I was going to say it!" After we've all had our laugh, he clears his throat and returns to his announcement. "Well! If no one's anything else to say, then raise the anchor, and let's shove off!"


	80. Chapter 80

**Eighty – To the Surface and the Storm! The Chains of Servitude**

Sailing underneath the ocean is far more romantic that swimming in it. The lights of the ship illuminating the bottom of the sea, the bubble coating painting the underwater landscape kaleidoscopic colors, but most importantly the ability to sit back and relax every once in a while – it's all so much better than swimming blindly in a dark abyss with ravenous monsters always on your tail. Although, unlike a certain happy-go-lucky, young captain, Jinbei understands fully the difference between a passenger and a crew member, so Natsu and I are not made to do nearly as much as the others onboard the ship, Natsu especially. "You'd best remain indoors for most of this trip." Jinbei says not long after we leave Fishman Island. "If you ended up overboard, even **we'd** have a hard time saving you from this mad sea." Whether his words genuinely frighten her or she's simply glad to have an excuse to stay back and rest I can't tell, but she heeds his warning and stays inside the ship nearly all the time, in the guest quarters where she and I sleep. At first, I'm too entranced by the underwater atmosphere to want to go inside, but eventually even it grows old, and I too welcome the chance for some quiet, relative though it may be.

"Got bored?" Natsu asks as I enter.

"Somethin' like that." I say. Playing around in my head with the idea of keeping a diary of my journies, inspired by Jinbei's journal, I posit it to Natsu, and she's all for it, even offering to make the journal for me out of materials she's got stored away. In the end however, as the boat is steadily rising up through the bowels of the ocean, I decide against it. _If I was to start a diary it shoulda been years ago, when I started all my travels. Too late now. And 'sides, can't no one read my chicken scratch handwritin' anyway. _I've always envied humans every time I see one pick up a quill pen or brush – webbed fingers makes using such an instrument with any sort of dexterity a monumental feat. _Dunno how the hell Jinbei's got such fancy penmanship…_

About halfway to the surface, we hit a nasty current and all hands are called up on deck. Though that doesn't include Natsu and I, I come up to help anyway. Jinbei doesn't contest the assistance one bit; far from it – the extra pair of arms (and tentacles) are a welcome help. The ship is tossed about in the current like a pebble thrown down a narrow well, ricocheting against invisible walls of rapidly flowing water. Finally, thanks to all our combined strength, notably mine and Jinbei's keeping the mast in place, we escape the violent waters, and waste no time in fleeing to tamer ones.

The incident left me with a nasty cut though along my leg, just above the knee. I hadn't even noticed it until everything had calmed down and the adrenaline faded away. "Piece a' debris musta got me." I comment.

"Here, let me take a look at it." One of the crewmen says, the same calm and collected merman who gave me such a strange look when I came on board the ship.

"You're the doctor?" I ask.

"I am. Come with me. Can you walk?"

I can, and I do, even though it hurts to. _Ain't no way I'll let none a' these fellas carry me. I don't care what my blood says – I ain't no goddamn princess._ Inside the ship, in the fishman doctor's room/office, he locates his first aid supplies. Before either of us has the chance to sit down, Natsu barges in. "I thought I saw you, Aki."

"You 'thought'? Who else'd it b- Oh… right." _Well_ _duh, Aki. You're on a boat full a' fishfolk, remember? _"You alright, Madam?"

"Yes, I'm fine. A little shaken, but-" She notices the small trickle of blood at my ankle, leaking down my pant leg from the wound, and gasps. " 'Am I alright'!? Are **you** alright?"

"Yeah, it's nothin'."

"Well, don't be so sure just yet." Says the doctor. "Best to check it in case-" He stops mid-sentence, gripping his stomach lightly.

"Are **you** alright?" I ask, repeating the line.

"Good… question." He winces, putting his hand underneath his buttoned vest to feel for blood. Pulling it out revealed only a couple tiny drops. "Doesn't look serious." He says. "It'll only need a small bandage. Go ahead and remove your trousers so I can dress the wound."

"Do you… need me to leave?" Natsu stammers.

The doctor and I exchange glances. "You don't **need** to, but…" Begins the doctor, trailing off quietly.

"…oh, Aki doesn't care." Natsu laughs. "She's always runnin' around naked."

My cheeks flush purple in embarassment. "H-hey! That ain't true!" I exclaim. "Well, I mean, not totally- n-no! No, it ain't true!"

Natsu leaves without another word, only mocking laughter that eats away at my pride. There is a heavy, awkward silence for a moment. "Yeah, yeah… go on – laugh too." I grumble. The doctor doesn't say anything, only giving a kind, close-lipped smile. As I'm undoing my belt, the doctor does the same with his vest, checking his own wound. As he undoes the last button and opens the vest up to reveal his torso, for a moment I suddenly freeze in my movements. On the side of his belly, within it a small blood-stained cut, is the red mark of the Sun Pirates, faded from the years. Quickly realizing my error, I try and pretend as though I wasn't fazed by its appearance. He doesn't say anything, but I know the doctor is far too perceptive to have not noticed my reaction, and what spurred it. I see the pause in him as well.

So I don't bother feigning ignorance. "You were one of the Sun Pirates?" I ask, keeping my voice as casual and low-key as I can. The doctor is quiet. "Your name's Aladdin, ain't it?"

"It is." Says the doctor quietly. "And yours is Princess Istia Claire." My muscles twitch at the name, my breathing grows heavy, and my heartbeat quickens. "I know what you must think of me." He continues.

"And how must I think a' you?" I say, with a voice as low and dark as the abyss we left behind us.

His eyes and mine lock on again. "As the objects of your hatred, of your prison-like vengeance."

Something in me is stretched one hair too thin. "What do you know a' vengeance!?" I snap.

After a short pause, he answers. "Do you know the origin of this symbol?" He points to the Sun Pirate brand on his stomach. I give my answer in silence. "Captain Tiger formed the Sun Pirates after he raided Mariejois singlehandedly, his mission being to free as many of their slaves as possible. The World Nobles sear into every one of their slaves a mark – a red circle, with four triangles like the foot of a bird. The sun brand was to hide that mark entirely, to bury our pasts behind us and start anew, everyone as equals." He pauses for a moment. "But that doesn't get rid of it completely. I know the touch of the invisible chains, not cold like metal but hot like a fire, burning inside me, taunting me every day with the dream of freedom."

The deep silence fills the room again for a moment. I break it with a heavy sigh, the tension in me subsided. "Yeah, but you ain't the one who holds my key." I say as I resume undoing my belt. "I read the diary: you weren't even there. You had nothin' to do with this." My belt undone, I take off my pants, carefully so as not to worsen the wound. " 'Sides, didn't Jinbei tell you?" I continue, giving a sigh through my nostrils. "I ain't got no score to settle with the Sun Pirates no more. I just… I still ain't calm, that's all." I can see the wound. The slash the zombie in Thriller Bark gave me was much worse than this, though this is still a nice gash, and there's a fresh amount of blood around it, already starting to dry up. "Dang, it got me good."

"Yes, let's hurry up and fix that, shall we?" Says Aladdin, pleased to find the topic changed, and on a good note.

* * *

When we arrive back on the surface, there is no time for celebration, despite how direly everyone wants one, Natsu and myself especially. Though the sky is a pristine blue without a cloud in the sky, the waters are incredibly turbulent, seemingly for no reason at all other than to harass us.

And harassed we are for the next two weeks it takes us to sail to our destination. To say the New World is a "mad sea" is putting it far too lightly. This ocean, I'm almost entirely convinced, is not of this world. Phenomena occur that simply should not be able to happen. How else can I explain it, when, not half a day after we escape the wild waters we met at our resurfacing, a part of the ocean simply starts to ignore gravity and float off into the sky, nearly taking us with it. What should I say to rationalize islands that, upon appearing in the distance, suddenly slide over to the other side of the horizon, and then disappear entirely, leaving us to wonder if it even existed at all? It doesn't even have to be life threatening; once the water decides to randomly change to purple for a day, and quite frequently does the ocean like to splash a bit of itself onboard the ship for the sole purpose of smacking a sailor across the face. I ask Jinbei what he makes of it, since he can control water with his Fishman Karate. "I wouldn't be surprised if this sea has a mind of its own somewhere."

"If so, please tell it it don't have to be such an asshole." I quip.

Not long after, when I witness the ocean literally snatch a seagull out of the sky and eat it, I simply give up, retiring to the ship's interior, putting my faith in Jinbei and his poor crew to keep us alive.

Fortunately for all of us, they do just that. In that time spent mostly in the belly of the ship, there are several instances where I'm certain we're all goners. (Okay, maybe a couple of those times it was just an excuse to huddle up close with Natsu, but hey.) We hear nothing of the Straw Hats, though Jinbei and I are both certain they're following us. They're a secondary worry – surviving the angry sea comes first. Fortunately, my Eternal Pose to Orbis Tertius makes our direction always clear, even if the sea may try and tell us it's not. In the end, the black spire of Sea Stone Fortress appears on the horizon just as Jinbei had written it did for him twelve years ago. On top of that, our journey here ended miraculously without a single life being lost to the sea along the way.

Our celebration is, once again, short-lived. The Storm Kingdom wastes no time in greeting us with a pair of warships flanking both our sides. When I first see the blockade their navy has in place I have a hard time believing my eyes. The ships are their own archipelago, stretching from one horizon to the other. _And the World Government's got this big a navy too? I can't even imagine what an all-out war between the two'd be like…_

"This is where we part, Sinagra." Jinbei says suddenly, as we are all watching the Storm ships approach.

"Say what? Why?" I reply, surprised to hear such a thing. "I thought you was comin' with us."

"Yeah, what's the point of only comin' this far?" Natsu adds.

Jinbei shakes his head solemnly, chin lowered and eyes closed. "I will not complete the mission given to me so many years ago by delivering you to Orbis Tertius. If you return there, it will be your own will that decides it, no one else's."

His words are a welcome kindness that bring a smile to my face. I take a deep breath of the ocean air. "You know what, Jinbei…? You're alright."

He cracks a small smile as well, but doesn't say anything in response. We watch the ships in an anxious silence. When they finally are within boarding range, a high-ranking fishman official steps forward to the edge of his deck, along with several soldiers, all with rifles at the ready.

"Jinbei… now there's a face I never expected to see again in our waters." The captain remarks slyly. "Though you are not technically a wanted criminal to us, you are a fool to return, even… ah, how many years has it been? Ten, eleven?"

"Twelve." Jinbei answers, stoic.

"Twelve years? My, how time flies." Says the captain, his voice oozing venomous sarcasm. "Still, the Storm has not forgiven your merry band for their failures, and it has certainly not forgiven your years as a Shichibukai dog, taking orders from the World Government. Turn your ship around and leave. You will sail no closer to Orbis Tertius, else the might of the Storm shall be loosened upon you."

"I hadn't planned it." Says Jinbei. "It is not I, nor my crew, who seek passage to the capital…" He motions us to step forward, and Natsu and I do so.

"It's us." I say, finishing Jinbei's sentence.

The fishman captain looks us over for a moment from across the gap between our ships. Though, at that distance, he can't possibly get a good look. "Playing the ferrymen these days, are we, Jinbei?"

Jinbei laughs underneath his breath. "Something like that. Repaying old favors more like." He says with a smile my way.

"How many? Just these two?"

"That's right." I answer.

"Very well. I and four of my men will board your ship. All those wishing to enter the Storm Kingdom must first be proven Devil-less." _"Devil-less"? Wait, he don't mean-_ I look to my side, at Natsu, who shares my expression. _That's right! I forgot all about this! They don't let no Devil's Fruit users enter!_

As the captain prepares to board, Natsu says in a loud whisper "Aki, is he saying what I think he is?"

"I… yeah, I kinda forgot about this…?" I reply, trying to avoid punishment for my forgetfulness with an apologetic grin.

"What's the matter?" Asks Jinbei. "They're just checking to make sure you're not Devil's Fruit users, there's nothing to worry-"

"But I **am** a Devil's Fruit user!" Natsu frantically exclaims in a whisper.

Jinbei goes bug-eyed for a second in a rare show of shock. "What!? You're…? Why did you never tell me this!?"

"You didn't notice when we fought Aki? Oh, never mind that! I never thought it mattered! What are they gonna do to me? Am I in danger now!?"

"If you try and enter the kingdom, yes!" He scratches his forehead in frustration. "They'll lock you up for the rest of your life! Or they might just simply throw you to the sea! You can't go with Sinagra! You have to stay with me!"

"No way!" I answer in place of her.

"Well, what do you have in mind?" Natsu asks. "I mean, I want to continue on, of course! But if I can't enter, then…?"

The captain and his guards step on board the deck of Jinbei's ship. "Just leave it to me." I say, and turn around to face our guests, standing tall. _I was really hopin' I wouldn't have to do this… _

Him closer now, I can see the fishman captain is older than I had assumed him to be, in his fifties if I had to guess. I can't discern exactly what type he is – some kind of shark, though not a large one like Jinbei or Hody. He sports a vest of armor and a helmet, both of which are aged from numerous battles. "Step forward." He says, pulling out a small baton.

"What's that for?" I ask.

"The tip is pure sea stone. If it so much as touches the skin of a Devil's Fruit user, it will have the same effect on them as jumping into the ocean." I'm careful not to glance at Natsu as he explains this, to keep from giving away her secret.

_Alright, here goes nothin'. Let's see if this is all a big joke, Jinbei. _"Oh, that won't be necessary." I say, without too much emotion in my voice.

"Excuse me?" Responds the captain, with an offended rising intonation. "All who wish to pass into Storm Kingdom territory must be tested. There are no exceptions!"

Now it's my turn to play the offended one. "D'you not know who I am? D'you not recognize me?" His eyes squint into dubious slits underneath his helmet. "I am Storm Princess Claire Istia, and I am tellin' you it's unnecessary!"

The crew behind me gasps. _Guess Jinbei never told none of 'em._ The crew in front of me, however, does not elicit any startling response. In fact, the captain gives a disgruntled sigh. "I'll bet you expected us to be all in shock, didn't you?"

"Actually… yeah, I kinda did." I respond, almost in a mumble.

"Do you have any idea how many girls like yourself we've seen over the years claiming to be the missing princess?" He asks in a rhetorical manner. "So many that His Majesty himself gave us the means to prove them all false. Turn around." He orders.

"Turn around? Why?"

"If you are who you say you are, you have nothing to fear." He replies. Slowly, cautiously, I turn around, facing my back to him. "Lift your tentacles. Let me see your neck." _My neck? The hell's goin' through this fella's head?_ Reluctantly, slowly, I comply. "Although, I have to admit, you're certainly the best job I've yet seen. You're even a Humboldt squid-type, the exact same as the prin-"

Abruptly he stops. I wait a moment for him to speak, but all is silent. "Somethin' wrong back there?" Taking my chances, I lower my tentacles and turn around, to a face completely stunned.

"H-hold on! Let me see once more!" He cries, frantic.

"See what?"

"Your birthmark! On the back of your neck!"

"Whoa, what? Natsu, is he serious?" I turn my back to her and move my tentacles out of the way. "Do I seriously got a birthmark back there?"

Standing on her tiptoes, she replies "Oh… you sure do! Looks like a little crescent moon!"

"Your Highness." Says the captain, with hesitant reverence. "I… I'm sorry, I'm at a loss for words…" His men too are just as shocked as he is.

I sigh. "Then don't worry about it. Don't bother sayin' nothin'. Just take us to the fortress or whatever. It's been an exhaustin' trip here."

"Y-yes… of course!" He exclaims. I give Jinbei my grateful thanks and say goodbye to him and as we move to leave his ship and board the one that will take us to Sea Stone Fortress. When none of the Storm soldiers are looking, I flash Natsu a giddy thumbs-up. Stifling laughter, she returns the gesture.


	81. Chapter 81

**Eighty One – Reunification! The Grand Metropolis of Orbis Tertius**

To avoid setting foot on Sea Stone Fortress (it actually is entirely sea stone) Natsu retires to a room on the Storm ship, and does her best to fall asleep before we even reach the fortress. Though I can't wait to have solid ground under my feet again (Fishman Island and the Sea Forest just didn't do it for me; I need a sky above my head) I do the same, so as not to reignite any suspicion. But unlike Natsu, I can't sleep. _Way too much on my mind. _In the dead of night, after tossing and turning for hours, I get out of bed and step out onto the deck. Above me is the grand night sky. The lights of the fortress hide the dimmer stars, but it's still a beautiful sight.

"Y-Your Highness!" A soldier on lookout exclaims.

"Just gettin' a breath a' fresh air." I say, walking to the edge of the deck. Leaning on the wooden railing, I look down into the ocean at my own distorted reflection in the tiny waves.

After a moment, the soldier speaks again. "It's um… it's really great to have you back, Your Highness."

_Would you quit callin' me that? Makes me feel weird. _I turn around and get a better look at him. A human man my age, his head is shaved, or perhaps he doesn't have any hair, I can't tell. From his mannerisms, I assume he hasn't been a soldier for long. "Ya'll didn't figure I was dead?" I ask.

"Well, I… that is…" He stammers. "There were rumors of course, but no one hoped they were true. And of course, His Majesty- Oh, that's right! Your father is going to be elated when he hears you've returned!"

_Yeah, I bet he will be. It ain't gonna be the warm welcome he's expectin' though. _Weary of where this conversation might lead, I return indoors to my room and try again to get some shuteye.

I succeed (sort of), getting about five hours of sleep. At sunrise, around seven in the morning, the ship jolts into motion, waking both Natsu and I up.

"I'll check and see what's going on." Natsu says. Half-asleep, I mumble something back, but even I'm not quite sure what it is.

Before she can make it to the door however, there comes a knocking at it. Natsu bids them come in. My head buried in my pillow, I can't see who it is, only hear his voice, which I don't recognize. "My apologies!" He exclaims. "I'm sorry to intrude, Your Highness." More mumbles from me. "Captain Riker wants you to know we're setting sail for Orbis Tertius now."

"How long will that take?" Natsu asks.

"Fifteen hours. It's smooth sailing though, so don't worry." _Good… More sleep…_

When I wake again, this time fully refreshed, it's become noontime. _Ain't like me to oversleep… _Aside from myself and the dust floating about in the air, the room is empty. Once I'm woken enough, I go searching for Natsu. It takes me a bit of time to find her, not because she's in a hard to find place, but because every person on the ship has to stop me for this reason or that, whether it be misplaced worries of the physical state of being of a princess, or a strange undeserved admiration for me. It takes a bit of willpower in me not to reveal my strength or my intent in coming here. _Just play along as best you can, Aki. Can't let 'em know you're up to somethin'._

I find Natsu lying atop the railing of the ship, reading a book. "Ain't that kinda dangerous, Madam?" I say as my hello.

"Just bein' on this ship's dangerous, princess." She says. I grumble in response. "C'mon, I'll be fine. It ain't like you to worry. Oh, and heads up. Riker's comin'."

"Who?" I half-say, then turn around to see the captain approaching us. His armor and helmet have been removed; he looks more elderly without them.

"Her Highness is right to worry," he says, "Miss…?"

It takes Natsu a moment to realize what he's asking of her. Hopping off the rail and back onto the deck she says "Natsu! Name's Natsu." She extends a hand in friendship, which the captain accepts.

"Natsu." He repeats. "I still am not quite sure what your relationship with Her Highness is." _Can't nobody call me by my name? It don't even have to be the one I like…_

"We're friends!" Natsu says, grabbing one of my tentacles and pulling me down to her so she can put an arm over my shoulder in a buddy-buddy manner. "Ain't that right, princess?"

"R-right." I stammer, then form a smile. "Best of friends! Known each other since we was kids!"

Riker sports an inquisitive look. "Is that so?" He says, rubbing his chin, then clears his throat and says "May I ask you a question, Your Highness?"

Natsu lets go of me, and I rise back to face the captain at eye level. "Yeah… go ahead, cap'n. Shoot."

"Where have you been all these years? Why have you only come back now?" I take a moment to think on how to answer, and he sees the hesitance in me. "I-I'm sorry, princess. Should I have not asked such a question?"

"Huh? No, no! I'm just… well I didn't know."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I mean I didn't know I was a… princess… and all that." The word feels gross to say. "I only just found out. Ain't even been a month."

His eyes widened a sliver. "Truly?"

I nod. "While I was in Ryugu on some uh… some business." _Can't let them know __**too**__ much._ "Saw the old wanted poster with me as a baby." A pause. "It's a lot to take in."

He smiles. "What is important is that you are safe. Orbis Tertius is the most well-defended city in the world; no harm will come to you there."

"It don't seem all that defended." I remark.

"So it may seem now, Your Highness, but if the Storm were to be summoned, these seas would look quite different…" _Jinbei wrote the same thing in his journal... All seems a bit queer to me._ "His Majesty will be ecstatic to finally see you after all these long years."_  
_

"What about her mother?" Natsu blurts out. Captain Riker looks as though he'd completely forgotten her presence. "It's always father this, and the king that – what about her mother? I mean…I'm just curious. Aren't you too, Ak- Claire?"

"I what? I mean- sure… yeah, I wanted to know that too." _Not really… _

Riker's expression grows dark. "She… I'm sorry to tell you this, but Queen Rann passed away not long after your abduction."

A short silence pervades the air. I break it. "That so? Well… that's life, I guess." I try and fake more emotion but it's not something I've ever been that good at. So instead, I simply leave the conversation, returning inside the ship, without any real idea of what I'll do instead to pass the time.

I end up resting a lot, deep in thought. Natsu's too absorbed in her book to chat, and the only other thing I can think to do is practice my martial arts, but I can't have anyone know I'm a fighter. _Not until I confront the king._ So instead I rest in my cot for a while, and then rest outside, under the sky, watching the towers pass by, and the sun drop down. I may have dozed off for a few minutes, but I don't know. It is not until after twilight that Orbis Tertius first comes into view, and when it does, I'm not even there to see it – I'm sneaking around in the kitchen, looking for a bite to eat. _Meats, berries, veggies… c'mon where's the- Aha! Shrimp! There you are, my little-_

"Princess, is that you?"

I let out a small scream. My mind was too preoccupied with food; I hadn't noticed anyone enter the kitchen. "Uh- I was just…! I wasn't 'bout to... like, steal nothin', I swear!" I stammer.

The man who found me is the cook himself. He doesn't look too happy, but he's not angry. "It's fine, it's fine." He says, though not without a hint of a displeased demeanor. "That's what the kitchen is here for." Taking that as an invitation to go ahead, I snatch up a handful of the little shrimps and pop one my mouth. "Captain Riker was looking for you." The cook continues. "We're just about to dock in-" As soon as he says that, the boat shakes for a moment, its movement stopped. "Scratch that – we just did dock."

My heart jumps. _Shoot! No more time for games, Aki. _"Thanks." I say as I pass the cook to the door leading out.

He stops and shrugs. "Um... you're welcome… but what for, Your Highness?"

I grumble. _For bein' the only one who wasn't callin' me that…_ "For the shrimp." I say as I leave, eating another one.

Coming up on deck, I expect to be greeted with a city; instead, I get a wall. An incredibly tall wall at that, made entirely of metal, and built inverted so it leans outward, looming fearsomely like a cloud of steel over the entire harbor, full of ships all like ours. Craning my neck up to look at it, I find a sense of dread entered into me, one that makes my nerves shudder with every breath.

"Your Highness!" I am greeted. I stop my gawking to see Captain Riker and two soldiers approach.

"Captain." I say, tearing my eyes away from the great wall. "Is this…?"

"Orbis Tertius, yes. You're finally home."

I hold back a curse. _This ain't my home, this... whatever this is._ "I thought it was a city." I say, dryly.

"These are just the walls, Your Highness. The city lies on the other side." He says. "Tomorrow we shall take you to the palace, and there-"

"No." I cut in. "No, we go tonight." I say, with a forcefulness I have refrained from using since I first revealed my identity to these people.

Captain Riker is surprised. "B-but Your Highness…" He stammers. "It's a bit late, don't you think?"

"It's only nine. How long's it take to get to the palace?"

"An hour… give or take."

"Then we're goin'." I say, then come up with a little half-lie. "I don't think I could sleep tonight knowin' I'm so close!"

He buys it. "Very well. We leave now then. Come to think of it, better that we not risk the public learning of your return and swarming us tomorrow." _I'm gonna hafta agree with you there, Cap'n._

We leave the ship, Riker, Natsu and I, wasting little time. Riker changes to casual attire and brings no soldiers along, so as not to garner any attention. _I don't see what he's so afeared for. It ain't like __**he's**__ the one everyone'd be gawkin' over. _The thought of a massive crowd all fawning over me like idolists creeps into my head and gives me a shiver.

We make our way to an archway in the giant wall that leads inward. It being the hour it is, the harbor is quiet and relatively void of life. In the tunnel in the wall, the air grows warmer, and the light dims to only what torches along the walls provide. Not long after, we near the other end of the tunnel, though I can't make out anything past it but the night sky. "Prin-" Riker begins, but stops short, remembering we're trying to keep a low profile. He can't find anything else to call me, so he simply falls into a brief, awkward silence. Being several paces ahead of me, I can't see his mixed expression, but I can hear it. As he stops at the end of the tunnel, he says to me "Erm… well, in any case, let me be the first to welcome you to Orbis Tertius." Natsu and I both step out into cool air once again, to what is arguably the most breathtaking sight we've ever seen.

Below us lies the city, and it simply never ends. All the way to the horizon it stretches like a great urban forest, and so tall! Jinbei's journal said the buildings rose higher than one could imagine, but this is simply amazing! Though the center of the city is so far away in the distance, the towers there are so tall I can see them plain as day, and the tallest, the one Jinbei called "The Eye", splits the very sky in two. The expanse is a patchwork of brown and green, certain sections of the city reserved for necessary farmland, and many of the buildings containing rooftop gardens.

Natsu is just as enamored as I am. "I can barely believe my eyes…" She says. "How many people does a city like this hold?"

Captain Riker looks at the city, and at our breathtaken faces, with a proud smile. "At least eight million, it is believed."

"Eight… million…?" I repeat, barely able to fathom that many people.

"And one day they will all be under your rule, Your Highness." Riker says, no one else within earshot. I feel like I'm going to faint from the idea. _I don't want this! I don't wanna rule nothin'! And certainly not eight million people!_

Having looked at the view long enough, we descend down a grand flight of stairs alongside the inside of the wall into the city itself. The street where the stairs end, leading far into the heart of the city, is wide, and at this time of night empty. Riker tells me Orbis Tertius is often said to be shaped like a five-petaled flower, each with its own harbor. We arrived in the oldest, Dock 1, which is for military use only, so there are no grand markets to greet us initially as we enter the city proper, but large warehouses and military buildings.

We travel little distance to a gondola station. "The canals rather than the roads will bear us." Says Riker. Several of the small boats are docked here, many of their owners asleep in them. We find one still awake, a gondola driven by a fishwoman of average height. She's a few years too old for me perhaps, but she still has a lovely face (even without a head of hair) and it takes a bit of willpower for me to not start shamelessly flirting with her. I do get her name though… just in case.

The canal our boat follows travels through numerous residential districts, where most people are either settling in for the night or have already. A few folks give us a small wave and a smile, either from their windows or from other boats passing by, but it is still a quiet ride, up until we reach further into the center of the metropolis, when the buildings become taller, the air noisier, and the canals more congested. This part of the city is still wide awake. We pass by numerous high-rises housing loud entertainment districts, sleepless centers of commerce, and all other manner of urban development as our tiny boat weaves through the traffic of the canals. Looking up I find the tall towers are linked together far above us as well, bridges passing between them like a canopy of stone and glass.

But above all of that glamour and splendor is our destination, the grandest of all sights in Orbis Tertius, the tower they call The Eye. Only in a place such as Orbis Tertius, Riker says, devoid of wind and tremor, could such a wonder be built. He doesn't know just how tall it is, but he assures me it has no equal in the realm of man-made structures. I believe him. It was spectacular enough from a distance, but now, as we near its base, Natsu and I are both left in sheer awe. The tower's width alone is impressive, nearly the size of the grand plaza in Alabasta where half the city could fit in to hear the king's speeches. Thinking back to King Cobra reminds me why I am here however; as we exit the gondola, paying our ferrywoman and setting off to the massive stone walls of The Eye, I remember. _In there's the man behind it all. This ain't no time for sightseein', Aki. It all ends tonight. Be ready._

At the tower entrance, closed this late at night, Captain Riker's presence allows us entry. With an old groan the great doors are slowly opened. Though not as magnificient as outside, the sight inside is certainly more lavish, as would be expected of the seat of government, and the home of royalty. As we pass through the regal halls, I can't help but feel guilty. _They say this is s'pposed to be my home... but even if it were, it don't feel right for a couple folks to hog all this to themselves. _Eventually Riker's influence stops short and we are denied further passage, so the charade ends. Keeping my sigh of discontent to myself, I reveal my identity to the guards blocking passage, and Riker confirms it.

"Your Highness!" One of them exclaims, fumbling to holster his weapon, a thin scimitar, and give us a salute at the same time. "My apologies! We heard word you had arrived in Orbis Tertius, but did not expect you until the morning."

"It's fine." I say. "Is…? Is my…?" I can't say the word. My mouth won't let me call him that.

The guard understands what I mean to say. "Oh! Yes, of course! His Majesty is still awake. He's just inside."

"Good. I'll see him at once."

"Your Highness." Riker says, kneeling on one knee. "It has been a great honor serving you. And again, I must offer my deepest apologies again for our initial reception."

Again I have to hold back a sigh. "I told you not to worry none 'bout it. But yeah, thanks a bunch." _Whatever makes you happy to hear, cap'n._ We part ways then, Riker returning to his ship, while Natsu, the guards, and I go further into the palace, to the throne room itself. The guards were wary of Natsu's presence at first, but as soon as I affirmed she's with me, they hadn't a choice but to deal with it.

After yet another reverent encounter with yet another pair of guards standing watch at the throne room doors, we learn the king is inside, alone. _No doubt restless all day long, ever since learnin' I was on my way. Well, you ain't the only one._ My heartbeat quickens, strong thumps in my chest. A bead of sweat runs down my ear. All my nerves are alight with fire.

"I'll let you in immediately, Your Highness." One guard says, but I don't give him the chance.

"Don't bother. I'll let myself in." I reply assertively, pushing open the thick wooden doors.

Inside is a somber scene. A lonely throne sits in the center of a vacant room that has long since lost its light, and atop that seat of stone is a man. A fishman, of years between middle and old age, garbed in a robe the color of an ocean at night, looks up to see who has intruded into his quiet chamber. "Who is there?" He exclaims.

I don't say a word; I simply approach. He does the same, a pair of silent obelisks. As we near one another, once he can see me clearly, all anger from his face instantly washes away. There is no moment of confusion, of second-guessing oneself – he **knows**. As do I; though we look little alike, something in me recognizes the relation of blood between us. But still, even though his mind knows the truth, he can't help but ask: "Claire… is that you?"

With a voice bereft of any striking emotion, I reply. "Yeah. It's me."


	82. Chapter 82

**Eighty Two – The Fall of Aki Sinagra? A Hopeless Scenario**

A moment is taken – just the two of us looking at each other. Whether it be my animosity towards him or something else, he does not seem the image of a king to me. He stands only a bit taller than I and carries a common look about him, dull olive-green skin and hairless head. His only defining feature are the two catfish whiskers sprouting from his upper lip in place of a moustache. The gallant robe and crown he wears look like they were meant for someone else, someone more befitting the look of a king.

He can't even find the words to express his joy, only tears instantly filling his eyes as he takes three great strides and wraps his arms around me in a heartfelt embrace. It feels wrong – this man, whom all my malice is directed towards, pouring forth his love unto me. I want to move, but I stay still. Something in me lets him have his moment.

"My dear daughter, Claire!" He exclaims, pushing himself away, one hand on my shoulder, the other wiping his eyes dry. "Let me take a look at you!" A great smile grows on his face. "It really **is** you! All these long years I knew! I knew you still lived, my daughter! And here you are today, before me a gorgeous woman!" His eyes are near to watering again. "I can't tell you what joy this brings to me." The overwhelming happiness in him does not in the least transfer over into me; my face remains a stoic statue. It unsettles him. "Is… something the matter?"

"How?" I say, heavy with breath, boring my eyes into his.

"How… what, my dear?" He stammers, unaware. "I'm sorry, I don't understand."

I have to shatter his happiness. "How can you talk like nothin's happened!?" I yell, tearing my shoulder from his hand. "Like… like you ain't done nothin'!?"

The king is at a loss for words for a moment. As if he has forgotten to change his expression, it remains an awkward smile, while the rest of him denotes total confusion, distraught emotions. Instead of speaking to me, he looks to his guards and says "Leave us be for a moment. I would speak with my daughter in private." I throw Natsu, who is still with them, an assuring nod. They all exit the throne room, closing the door behind them, leaving us alone.

"Claire, I don't know what to say." King Aegir says, apologetic. "I tried to find you! I searched for you for so long, truly I did! It's just… you were always just out of reach, just one step beyond. But I never gave up! I even put you before the kingdom itself at times… They'd never say it to my face, but I know they call me a mad king at times. I cared little – finding you was all I had left! I searched the world, from the Grand Line to the Blues… and to the Red Line! I went there myself; I was so close when I came to that tiny mountain village!"

The world crawls to a slow. For just a moment, my mind breaks. _He… he was the…?_. My muscles tighten. My fists clench. Anger wells up in me like a sudden flood. "What… mountain… village…?" I say each word in a slow, heavy breath.

The king is practically oblivious to my change in emotion. "The one with the bell-tower and the hot spring! And the kidnappers who stole you from me Claire – it did not matter how strong they were! They were nothing before me! I put an end to each and every one of them, those wild men! I wiped their disgusting, little village from the face of the earth!"

I can't control my anger any longer. To learn that he was behind not only Redcliff's destruction, but of my only other home's as well, it more than breaks the last straw. "That was YOU!?" I scream, throwing a fist laced with fury at the murderer-king. His shocked demeanor tells me he is caught fully unaware, but the feeling in my hand tells me my attack was a failure. _Haki? He can use it too!? _Though that would seem the case, he didn't even notice the attack until it was already about to connect. He would have to be a total master to summon the needed haki to completely negate an attack of that magnitude in such a split-second. I try to spear another punch, this time with my other fist, but surprise is no longer on my side. By simply moving his hand in the way, he yet again turns my attack to nothing, using only his fingers. He then grabs my fist in his hand, and looks down at me with eyes still piecing together the situation, partly unsure of what to make of my actions.

The guards, hearing the commotion, instantly burst in. "Sire!" They exclaim, unsheathing their blades. Aegir's attention is stolen away for just a fraction of a moment, but it's all I need. With my greatest swiftness I move in to send a bone-shattering uppercut into his jaw.

His response is much quicker than I expected. His hand meets my wrist, and effortlessly deflects it aside, as though all my might was nothing more than a child's play swing.

"Aki!" Natsu lets slip. She tries to run to my side, but one of the guards stops her, while the other dashes forward to aid the king. The one who put himself between Natsu and the king swiftly brings the tip of his scimitar to her neck, but does not attack. Natsu doesn't even need to use her Devil's Fruit power to protect herself; she deftly moves around the blade, while striking its dull back edge with a palm. I expect her to follow up with an attack while the guard's balance is still shaken, but she does nothing of the sort.

She faints.

"Natsu!" I shout, turning my back on the king for just a moment. She tries to stagger back to her feet, but it looks as though her energy is completely drained. The guard is surprised for a moment, but with professional swiftness he touches the back side of his blade to the bare skin on Natsu's arm. Instantly, she falls again to the floor.

"Sire, she's a Devil's Fruit user!"

_SHIT! They found out! That's a sea stone blade! _The king grabs hold of my wrist tightly, forcing me to face him. "You brought a Devil's Fruit user here, Claire!?" I should move, I want to move, but I can't. The king's grip is so strong, it's as if my wrist is caught in an indestructible stone shackle, his anger seeping through it to my body, instilling me with a great and sudden terror.

The two guards constrain Natsu, keeping the flat end of a blade touching her at all times. She tries to say something, but it's nothing more than an unintelligible whisper of tiny breaths. I say her name again, though I find my voice has shrunken as well. "Natsu…! Run, get outta here!"

"Lock the devil in the dungeon." King Aegir orders, and with a quick glance down at me, he adds "The hour is late. I'll think of what to make of this tomorrow."

I find my strength again, and use it try and break free of his grasp, though with no luck. "No!" I exclaim. "Don't you lay a finger on her!" No use. My voice is powerless before the king's.

Natsu is taken away, out of sight, until only the two of us once again remain in the throne room. "Claire." Aegir says in a low voice.

"Can't you just let her go?" I cut in, pleading.

He gives an angry sigh, letting go of my wrist. I instantly grab it where his stone hands gripped me. "No. I don't know what this… 'woman'… is to you, but the law is the law. All serve under it, whether they be commoner, soldier, princess, or even king."

"But…!" I glance back at where they took her away.

"My answer is final!" He shouts, and the burning fire of his anger rushes over me again, shaking my very bones. I want to chase after her, to damn the king and his rules, and save her from this horrible place, but my legs won't move. The pressure Aegir is bearing down upon me is so great I can't even lift one foot. "You hid her, didn't you? You knew of our laws and yet you hid her."

I can't answer. Of course what he speaks is the truth, but I can't find it in me to admit to it. "Why's it even matter…?" I say in a weak voice.

" 'Why does it'…?" He repeats quietly, as though he can't believe what he's hearing. "Do you know what a Devil's Fruit does to a person!?" He doesn't allow me the chance to answer. "It destroys them! The devil inside the fruit kills the person who ate it and consumes their body, twisting and cursing it for its own purposes, until nothing is left but a husk for it to live in this world, perversely imitating the one it stole the life from!"

"No… th-that ain't true! It can't be!" I stammer.

"I'm sorry, Claire." He says, his anger quieting. "That is not the woman you once knew, if you ever even did know her. It is just a monster now. A devil among men."

"No…" I repeat, and fall to my knees.

Aegir bends down, and puts a gentle hand underneath my chin, to lift my head so that our eyes may meet. "Claire, please…" My spirit broken, I haven't the energy left to continue my struggle here. I haven't the will to even speak out against the king's horrible words. "You've had an incredibly long day. It's late. Get some sleep. We can sort out everything tomorrow. Alright?"

I can't even find the words to answer him.

He leads me himself several floors up the tower to my bedroom, a place that he's had kept all these years, waiting for my return. I'm too tired to notice any details about it other than that there is a bed, which I fall upon as soon as I hobble over to it, my muscles all given up for the night. The king gives a warm smile, and turns to leave me to my rest. "Welcome home, Claire." He says just before he closes the door. "I'll always love you."

And yet, I can't sleep. I lie motionless on the bed, but my mind is wracked with torment. I am alone in this strange place, inexplicably exhausted, my best friend in a dungeon, without any options, without any hope.

I want to cry. My eyes want to soak this bed wet with tears so terribly, but that only makes the anguish worse. _Aki, NO! No, no, no, NO! You ain't goddamn cryin'! _I grit my teeth in a terrible rage, and squeeze my eyes shut so hard it burns. _You've held it in for fourteen goddamn years! If you let one tear fall now he wins this! He wins everythin'!_

It is a restless night, a terrible night, of despair that swallows souls whole.


	83. Chapter 83

**Eighty Three – Terrible News! Ryugu and the Storm**

I don't know when I actually managed to fall asleep last night, but I know it was late, far into the hours of darkness. When I wake, it is nearing noon. I rub my eyes free of sleep and sit up, taking a look around. The first thing I can't help but notice is that everything in this room is an incredibly girly pink. The bed, the walls, the floor (well, the floor is closer to white), nearly all the furniture – it's all the same revolting color. I feel like I'm going to be sick just looking at it, so I tear off the blanket and bed sheets and hurry over to the nearest window, where sunlight is pouring in to illuminate the large room. Throwing it open, the blue sky and the breath of fresh air does me well. The view of the city however, puts me ill at ease. It reminds me of every reason why I'm here, of why I'm stuck in this horrid pink room, and why Natsu is stuck somewhere even worse. Without the extra reminder however, the view is a nice one, from a good number stories up in the tower I can see rather far across the city, just barely making out the walls on the horizon. It pleases my thoughtless eyes, so I continue for a short time just staring blankly out on the cityscape, listening to the noises it produces.

A knock on the door to the room brings my attention inside again. "Princess!" comes a woman's voice. "I heard loud footsteps – is everything alright? May I come in?" I yell (the room **is** rather large) back that she can, but I keep my gaze locked outside. I hear the door creak open. "Princess…?" The woman says. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." I lie.

Light, unsure footsteps make their way across the room to me. "I'm sorry… do I offend you being human?"

"W-what? No!" I exclaim. "It's just this room; it's too damn pink. You ain't-" Turning around, my words stop short. A young woman the same age as I, quaint and humble in demeanor, stands before me – my heart is stopped for just a moment by her sight. She wears a handmaiden's dress of soft green and white, and covering her head is a hat not unlike a nun's veil. Though she has no hair on her head, no eyebrows, not even eyelashes, the face that modest headdress frames is still as beautiful as the sun. "Madam!" I exclaim in my suave poet's voice, standing back up, my vigor returned to me. "The only emotion you instill in me is awe!" She is taken aback a moment, and I seize the confusion to approach her, putting an arm below the arch of her back to catch her as I lean down to her face. "That a maiden as lovely as you would be at my side…! I can't imagine what I did…" I lean in further, "to be so…" and further, until my lips are only an inch away from hers, my voice no more than a sultry whisper, "incredible lucky…"

"Princess!" Comes another voice, followed by the sound of a large basket dropped on the floor. The moment is shattered, and I look up at the doorway, where outside it stands another woman, a fishwoman, in the same attire as the one in my arms, though much older, with an extremely shocked look on her face.

Below me, the younger woman mouths out a terrified "Help!" I get the message and immediately put her back on her feet as quick as I can. She flees the scene, leaving only the older woman and I present, she picking up the things she dropped and I looking horribly embarrassed.

I have to say something in my defense, even if it's futile. "I wasn't… I mean I wasn't gonna do nothin'…"

She thinks for a moment, trying to find the best thing to say. "I understand you're not accustomed to being royalty, Princess?" says the woman, her eyes still on her basket.

I gasp and rush across the room to her. "Not in the least! Madam, you got no idea how crazy it's drivin' me! Are you…? Does this mean you'll actually treat me like a normal human bein'?"

She looks up, picking up everything. "Is that what you wish me to do?" I happily nod. "Alright, then." Her face immediately turns deathly stern, glaring at me. "Keep your hands off the girls."

The sour face is like fresh air to me. With a sly grin I tell her I'll do my best to try, and she reverts back, just as swiftly, to a gentle smile. Just before she returns to her business, she remarks "You're nothing like His Highness, are you?" That only makes my grin extend. _I sure as hell hope not._ "You should probably see him as soon as you can – I've been told he has much to speak with you about." My look returns to neutral. _Nothin' good, no doubt._

Though I'm exceptionally skeptical of anything the king might do, I really want to get away from all this blinding pink. So I leave, but I'm not sure exactly where I should go. I **want** to save Natsu, that much is obvious, but can I? _I don't even know where she is. She could be anywhere. No… No, I'll wait. Aegir ain't dumb. He knows he can use her to keep me in line, so he ain't gonna kill her. Just wait. Don't rush in, Aki. Be patient, play buddy-buddy with him, and wait for your chance. It'll come…_ Satisfied with my plan, I make my way to the one of the main lifts that connect the floors of The Eye together. I was too out of it last night to spare it any attention then, but now I can't help but be intrigued by it. I remember water-controlling lifts in Water Seven that were used to transfer ships from one tier of the city to the next, and I wonder if that's how this operates as well, though as I cautiously pass approach the lift's doors (along with my escort of two guardsmen who wouldn't let me out of their sight the moment I came upon them), I see no water – only a lavishly decorated interior of polished wood and stone.

"I assure you it's safe, Your Highness." One of the guards says. _Dang it. You had to go and say somethin', didn't you? Well now I __**gotta**__ go in. _The doors close with us in, and the walls groan to life. I feel a rising in my head as the room gently descends through the tower.

We exit on the second floor, where I am told the king is present. "He is in currently in the war room, meeting with the admirals." One of my escorts says.

"May I join him?" I ask, even though I'll go regardless of the answer.

"Yes, of course, Your Highness. I'll lead you there." I thank him and we pass through the stone corridors to a set of doors marked "WAR ROOM" in emblazoned red letters. Caring little for the repercussion, I barge in, both doors loudly swinging open.

Inside is a long wooden table with five chairs on either side, six of them filled, by three fishmen, two fishwomen, and one human man, all in extravagant military regalia. Seated at the far end of the table is King Aegir. All eyes are turned towards my abrupt interruption, all in apprehensive surprise but the king's – his comes with a smile.

"I was told you I should find you." I say as I walk in, keeping my temper at bay.

"Yes, I'm glad you're awake, Claire!" Says the king. I notice the whites of a couple of the admirals' eyes largen just a bit at the sound of that name. "Come, we were just discus-" He stops and looks at me inquisitively. "You're still dressed like that? I sent a seamstress to your room…" _Is… that who she was? …Whoops. _"No matter – come, have a seat. These are matters you ought to be a part of."

I pull out one of the empty chairs and sit myself down in it, next to the human admiral. "And what matters are those?" I ask, leaning forward, my elbows on the table and one hand cupped over the other.

The king hands the reigns of speech back to one of the admirals, no doubt whom was speaking before I barged in. The well-dressed fishman clears his throat. "We were discussing recent matters involving Ryugu." _Fishman Island? Jeez, the hell's goin' on there now?_ "Namely, how newly-changed relations with our sister kingdom will change the flow of the war."

"With the World Government, right?" I ask.

"That's correct. Once Ryugu is our ally, in both pen and sword, the World Government will see their position of power on the world stage severely threatened. Joining forces with the Revolutionary Army was a substantial shift in power – joining forces with the kingdom right under their noses will be the killing blow." _That's right… Fishman Island is directly underneath Mariejois. And at ten-thousand meters under the sea, they ain't in much trouble from invasion._

Another admiral, an elderly fishwoman decorated with medals, speaks. "But the main issue still stands. Even with Ryugu under our wing, how do we assault Mariejois itself? A new ally will do little to weather the Red Line."

"Sending a small expedition up there is one thing – sending an army is another." The human admiral remarks, agreeing with her.

"Let us focus on the issue at hand." Says the first. "Ryugu **must** become our ally. But there is an obstacle – Straw Hat Luffy." I nearly fall out of my chair. Everyone looks my way again. "Is something the matter, Princess?"

I don't bother trying to hide it. "You said 'Straw Hat Luffy'…"

"Yes, the same boy at the center of the Battle of Marineford. He and the Pirate Lord Big Mam are currently engaged in a sort of turf war over protection of Fishman Island, and the latest news tells us that Big Mam may be pulling out."

"What matter? A pirate is a pirate." A yet-unspoken admiral cuts in.

"Indeed." Says the first. "If Straw Hat Luffy will not simply leave once the alliance is forged, his exit from Ryugu can certainly be bought."

"That ain't gonna work." I blurt out, getting perplexed looks in response. "I mean… trying to buy him out, that is. He don't care none for money."

The admirals all exchange glances with each other for a moment. Aegir speaks up. "You sound as though you know this young man, Claire."

"I do." I say. _No point in hidin' it._ "I met him at Loguetown in East Blue. He gave me a ride aboard his ship to Water Seven." I say, eschewing the details.

The king is surprised to hear such words. "You sailed with pirates!?" He gasps.

"On several occasions." I reply, hoping to shake him up a bit. "You're worried? You know… I'm still waitin' for someone in this country to ask me what I did before I came here."

The room is filled with an uneasy silence, until the first Admiral to speak clears his throat again. "Regardless," he begins, "Straw Hat Luffy should not even be an issue. Might I ask you, Princess Claire, since you know him so well – is he a pirate who will listen to reason?"

I almost laugh. _No… actually, he ain't that type at all. Now if you promise him a bunch a' food on the other hand…_ Hesitant to speak my thoughts, I ask "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean – when Ryugu no longer needs his protection will he accept that and move on or will he stubbornly refuse to give up his claim?"

Aegir grows a look of incredible nervousness all of a sudden. "Hold…! Hold on a moment!" He forcefully interjects, eyes darting from me to the admiral and back to me again.

"Is something the matter, Sire?" Asks the admiral.

"Just a moment! I must speak with my daughter for a minute, that's all." He walks my way with swiftness and beckons me to leave the room with him. Though I am extremely hesitant to do anything this man says, I apprehensively go along and follow him out. _Buddy-buddy, Aki._

Outside the doors I came in through earlier, Aegir checks to make sure no one is around before speaking to me. "Claire, there are responsibilities that come with being princess."

_Yeah, no shit. That's why I ain't takin' the job._ "Yeah, okay." I say. "You dragged me out here just to tell me that?"

"I brought you out here to tell you one of those responsibilities." He pauses for a moment. "When you were just an infant, before you were kidnapped, an arrangement was made between the Ryugu Kingdom and ours – an arranged marriage." _Oh hell no. If he's tellin' me what I think he is…_ "For diplomatic reasons, you are to wed Neptune's eldest son, Prince Fukaboshi."


	84. Chapter 84

**Eighty Four – Who Can Be Trusted? Down into the Depths**

"No way!" I yell, furious. "There ain't no way I'm doin' that!"

"This is not a matter one can simply choose not to do!" Says the king. "It is your obligation as heir to the throne!" I nearly throw my fist at the man for daring to tell me what my duties are. "Claire, please… listen. Your abduction by those devils of the World Government shattered us. It drove your mother the Queen to an early grave, and it drove me into such a deep abyss of grief I feared I would spend the rest of my life trapped in it. But it not only broke our family; it broke the hearts of our people as well. You're our only hope for the continuation of the royal line, Claire!"

"The hell I am!" I shout, unable to keep my mouth shut for any longer. "Just re-marry!" I say, trying to think up a reasonable excuse before my temper's too far lost.

"Impossible. Marriage in our society is permanent, and even if it were, I would never disgrace your mother in doing so." He replies.

"Well then I **definitely** ain't marryin' no one, and I definitely ain't havin' no kiiii…" My voice trails off into a gross slur of sounds unable to spit the word out. If there's one thing I want even less than being married to a man, it's bearing his children.

The king's temperament turns to irritation. "Claire, this isn't for you to decide! This is larger than just you! It's larger than me! It's larger than the entire kingdom! This marriage could determine the very course of history itself! The unification of Ryugu and the Storm **will** take place, and you **will** marry Prince Fukaboshi!"

I respond with a scowl, with a look that tells him I'd rather die than lower myself to his demands. "I'll throw myself off this tower before I even think about it." I spit.

I expect him to lash out at me, but he only gives a disappointed sigh. "Damn it… I didn't want to resort to this, but you leave me no choice." He stands up straight, takes a deep breath through his nostrils, and looks down at me like a gargoyle. "If you do this for us, Claire, if you marry Prince Fukaboshi, I shall set your devil friend in the dungeon free, entirely unharmed."

My eyes go wide. _Natsu…? _"You…" I stutter, my anger lost, transfigured into an fearful hope. "You would really…?"

The king too has trouble agreeing to such a decision, his hesitant speech reflecting it. "You have my word. If I must break the law for the good of the kingdom, then… so be it." He assures me, though I am uneased. It isn't that I don't trust him – I know he is telling me the truth – but rather I'm so divided on the inside. _Damn it! It's __**my**__ fault she's in this mess! Ain't I gotta make it up to her…? I don't know! I don't know if I can do it! Sacrifice everythin' I've worked for just to save her!?_

"How long until the… the weddin'?" I ask, angry just thinking about it.

"Ten days." He answers.

"Ten days!? I only got that long to…?"

"The people have already waited for so many years, Claire; they will not hold their breath any longer."

I bite my lower lip in frustration and fear. "If I agree to this… then I wanna see her first."

"See whom?"

"Natsu!" I yell, then lower my voice. "I wanna see Natsu! I wanna know she's fine, and… I just wanna see her face once more..."

Aegir thinks on it for a moment, eyes unmoving. "Very well. After this meeting, I shall take you to her." Having nothing else to say, Aegir opens the door to the war room. He offers I follow him in, but I stay where I am, leaning my forehead on an arm up against the the wall, still too conflicted in thought, still too angry. When the door is closed and he is gone, I let out a wild growl and direct my fury into the wall, punching a hole clean through. It calms me only a little. I fall down to my knees a broken warrior, unable to do anything to change anything around her, unable to save anyone.

* * *

The meeting over a half hour later, I've retired to lying on the hallway floor, my hands behind my head, staring up at the tile ceiling while a pair of workmen survey the damage I did to the wall. I eye the admirals one by one as they exit, and they do the same, looking down at me. Some I give a mean squint to, other I simply let pass. Lastly exits King Aegir, to whom the workers bow just a bit farther down as he passes by. When he sees me his shoulders droop. "For the love of… Claire, please get up." He sighs dejectedly, and tries to grab a tentacle to pull me up to my feet, but I move it out of the way and get up myself. I don't like him touching me.

"Are we goin'?" I ask, bluntly and rudely.

"I said I would let you see her and I shall," Aegir replies, "but the tone is entirely unnecessary. Though I am your father I am still king of this land."I sigh. _Right. You was gonna keep your cool, Aki. You'll figure somethin' eventually, just try to stay level-headed about for now._

The two of us walk back to one of the lifts that will take us deeper into The Eye. I can't help but wonder what each person we pass by is thinking, how they see us. Aegir said I was the people's hope, but I wonder just how true that really is. Before I came to know Princess Vivi and her father in Alabasta, I'd always thought royalty were people to be despised: tyrants and warlords. I still haven't shaken that mindset entirely, even after discovering my that I, sadly, am technically one of them.

We enter the lift alone, and the lever on the console is moved to '-45'. I can't help but remark on it. "Forty-five? Ain't that a little overkill?"

"What do you mean?" Says the king, speaking to me but not looking in my direction.

"I mean… I get that it's a dungeon, but does it really gotta be forty-five floors below the surface? What the hell's in the floors all before that?"

He takes a moment to gather my words. "I see. You don't yet know the structure of Orbis Tertius. In that case…" He moves the lever again, this time to '-14, then stays quiet for a time, as the lift continually, slowly descends. After a time, he asks "You were at Ryugu before you came here, correct?" I tell him yes. "Theirs is a much older dynasty than ours." _Well that ain't really surprisin' if you don't allow folks to re-marry._ "Down there is where our species originated, after all. It was not until a short time after the Void Century, after the time the World Government has erased all knowledge of, that our ancestors left the deep and founded this city, called merely Orbis then. A barren rock in a windless, cloudless patch of sea, with not a speck of plant-life to found on it, it was thought for ages by humans to be unsettleable However, we are not human. This island was the perfect place for fishfolk to settle on the sea's surface for two reasons." The lift stops. "One, we do not need freshwater to survive, and two…" The doors open, and I was not at all expecting what lie on the other side. "Orbis Tertius does not sit on the ocean floor; it floats on the surface."

An great expanse lies before my eyes, underground, but larger than any cave the world could possible hold. The lift brought us to an empty viewing platform, where the king and I look out over the underground city, extending far off into the distance. Holding the great ceiling up are impossibly wide columns of stone. Looking closely, I realize they are no mere massive chunks of rock, but buildings themselves, dotted with tiny windows emitting light, all the way up. _They must extend up into the towers above ground! _"It's incredible…" I find myself saying. "But… if this whole island is floatin', what keeps it in place? How come it don't float off wherever the tides take it?

"A stroke of luck so perfect only nature could have produced it. Three other islands form a perfectly equilateral triangle, and each emits an equally powerful magnetic field that keeps Orbis Tertius locked in the center." _I only understood like half of that._ "And also…" He lifts a hand to twirl his catfish moustache in his index finger. "Well, let's just say the tide never greets this island. But yes, here just underneath the surface, our ancestors were able to fashion a kingdom in total secrecy. The tyrannical World Government knew **of** us of course, but for ages never knew just where we were, until at last the settlements grew to the surface as well. It was then that humans began to take up Storm citizenship, and not long after, our once-small nation became a military power respected by the world." He can see the wonder of first glimpsing the lower city has begun to wear off only slightly in me. "Are you done here, Claire?"

One last look, then "Yeah. Let's go."

We continue down, to a much farther and longer descent than before, into the very bowels of the island. After a good while, completely silent except for the low hum of the lift's movement, we reach the forty-fifth subfloor and the doors open once again. This time, there is no splendid view. This is the sight I was expecting down here – a dungeon, dimly lit and cold. A soldier on guard kneels as we exit the lift. The king gives him a royal nod. I just try and ignore him, forever weirded out by it all. _Then again, I wonder if he knows who I am. The news a' my return might not have made it all the way down here just yet. _"Take us to the prisoner brought in last night. Female, human, dark skin and hair."

We are led through the cavernous hallways solemly. It is a depressing place down here. I can't help but look in some of the cells we pass by, at all the people locked up, wondering how many of them actually deserve to be down here and how many were unjustly put away, like Natsu. With some it's obvious, like the man who curses at the king, but most of the prisoners are in dead silence as we walk by.

At last we reach our destination, and inside is a sight that sends a horrible feeling into my throat, the kind of sudden emotion that goes straight for the heart. "Natsu!" I exclaim, and run to the bars. Just seeing her face again erases all the malice from my voice, replaced with heartfelt happiness, though she be in such a horrible place.

"Aki…? Is that you?" She replies, standing up from the slab of wood nailed to the wall that passes for a bed down here. "It is you!" She cries, overjoyed to see me, and rushes to the bars, grabbing my hands in hers. The moment her skin touches the bars, however, she collapses to the ground. _Sea stone again…_

"Yeah… it's me." I smile as she picks herself back up. I look behind me, at the two who accompanied me down here. "Could I… could I have just a moment? Alone?" I ask them. I don't expect the king to grant me this favor, but he does. _He knows. He knows there ain't a thing I can do to try and spring her out. Whatever. As long as they leave, I don't care._

When the two are out of earshot, I say in a low voice "Natsu, I'm so sorry…" It's all I can find the words for.

Out of politeness, she calmly responds "It's not your fault, Aki."

"But it is! Aegir was right; I shouldn'ta snuck you in. **I** was the one who brought you here."

"Aki…" She grumbles. "You honestly think I would've just given up? If you hadn't done somethin' to get me in, **I** would've. Look, it's no use dwellin' on the past." She lets out a heavy sigh. "I'm stuck in here, and that's that."

"Actually… there's a way to get you out." I say quietly.

She walks close to me again, careful this time not to touch the bars. "Really?" She whispers. "You find somethin' out about this place?"

I veer my gaze to the side, unable to look her in the eye as I speak. "N-no. It ain't no jailbreak or nothin'; it's… I made an agreement."

"An agreement? With who?"

"With… with the king." I pause, summoning the courage to tell her just what that agreement entails. "If I do somethin' for him… he'll set you free. No catch."

"That's fantastic!" Says Natsu. "I mean… it **is** fantastic, right? Just what do you have to do?"

"Well you see, it's… I gotta…" I gulp. "I gotta marry someone."

Natsu takes a step back in shock. "M-Marry!? You're kidding, right? Who?"

I let out a morose sigh. "The Ryugu Kingdom's prince. It's an arranged marriage they set up when I was a baby, before I was even kidnapped."

Her response comes quick – Natsu only takes a second to think over what I've told her. "Aki, I can't believe you agreed to this."

"I… It ain't like I wanna do it – you know that! I just… what other choice do I got!? I dunno what they'll do to you down here! They might even execute you! If I got the chance to stop that from happenin' how can I pass it up?"

Natsu sits down cross-legged. "I don't like it."

"I don't either, but-"

"No, I mean I don't like you givin' in to him!" She says. "That ain't the Aki I know. The Aki I know'd fight tooth and nail, and'd never give up so easily."

"I know! Natsu, I know! This hurts me too, settlin' things like this. It's just… you didn't fight him…"

"The king?"

I nod. "I thought if I couldn't beat him I'd at least stand a fightin' chance 'gainst him. But when I threw those punches they had every bit a' power in me – more than when I fought with you, or with Jinbei, or Monkey, or anyone ever… and yet he stopped it in one hand like my arm was nothin' more than a wad a' paper. It was like an entire mountain was holdin' me down."

" 'A mountain'." Natsu scoffs. "I thought we were the school that shattered a mountain with just one fist."

A deathly silence arises between us for a moment. I slide down the bars to the ground, hunched over my knees. "Natsu…" I say. "That **is** **you **in there, right?"

"Say what? 'Course it's me. Who else'd be?"

"I don't know…" I mumble, unsure of my words. "A devil, maybe."

"A what?"

"Aegir said… he told me that once someone eats a Devil's Fruit, they're no longer them. That it's a devil impersonatin' 'em."

"And you believe that hogwash?"

"I don't know! I mean… I don't wanna, of course, but… what if he's right? Are you really you? Do you even know!?"

She turns around, disgusted. "I might ask you the same thing, Aki. I can't believe you'd just eat up whatever horseshit that king comes up with so easily."

"I'm sorry, I'm just at my wit's end here! I don't know **who** to believe anymore! Ever since discoverin' that stupid journal of Jinbei's everythin's been turned upside-down! Everythin' I thought I knew turned out to be somethin' else! Even me! Who can I turn to to rely on if I can't even rely on myself no more!?"

Natsu exhales loudly through her nose. "I don't know, Aki. I don't know what to say, except… I don't think that's somethin' anyone can decide for you except yourself."

I take a deep, heavy breath to try and calm my nerves. "I guess you're right."

"Aki." She says, turning around to look me in the eyes. "I know you'll make the right decision in the end. I'm countin' on you." Her smile warms my heart and returns my vigor to me. "Now go on. Your dad's probably gettin' suspicious."

"Ugh. Please don't call him that, Madam."

She laughs. "Right. Sorry."

* * *

Ascending back up The Eye, my mind is racing, thinking out every possible outcome of all the scenarios I can come up with, alternatives to free Natsu that don't involve wedlock to an asshole who doesn't wear pants. _Should I try and spring her out? Maybe I can just avoid the king, and come back later to do him in, when I'm ready? ...Hrm, no – that don't feel right. Stage a rebellion? Get the people on my side? If people call him mad, and they think I'm the hope for the kingdom or whatever then maybe I can use that to my advantage? Then again that still leaves the matter of finishin' him off. If he's backed in a corner with that kinda power he might do somethin' crazy…_

Somewhere along the way up, the king breaks the external silence. "Aki…" He says, and my attention is entirely stolen. He notices the immediate reaction. "That devil called you that. I'm curious as to its meaning."

_Should I tell him? What's the best course of action? Keep tryin' to pull the wool over his eyes, or stand up for yourself? _There is a short pause until at last I respond. "It's my name."

"Y-your name!? Your name is Claire; that's the name I gave you when you were born!"

I grit my teeth in frustration. "And the name I was given on the Red Line is Aki." I growl. Neither of us can find the words to say, so the lift resumes its silence.


	85. Chapter 85

**Eighty Five – The Last Straw! Unleashing the Will of a Nation**

Back in the palace, the king and I go separate ways. I'm not sure where exactly I'm going – wherever he's not is all I care. _I just need a quiet place where I can think and calm down… A quiet place that ain't pink. _Though I certainly don't want to return to that nightmare of a bedroom, I find myself drifting to its story of the palace. Somewhere in the palace hallways I'm discovered by the woman this morning, the one who gave me the stern look. "There you are, princess! Come with me; there's something important we were supposed to do this morning."

Hurriedly, she leads me to the fourth floor. She hasn't yet told me just what this is all about, but then again, I haven't asked. Anything to take my mind off events for even just a moment is appreciated. Reaching an open, unmarked door, she barges inside and holds open the door for me. Inside is a room of average size with the look of a tailor's, sheets and scraps of cloth and leather hanging, lying on tables, or merely strewn about, with all manner of tools here and there. Working at a sewing machine is the one who came to my bedroom this morning, and left terrified of me. "Her Highness is here." my escort proclaims.

Surprised by our sudden entrance, the two both stand up. The first to respond is a different person however, a small fishwoman with thick glasses, who peeks her head from the jungle of fabrics hanging up in one part of the room, and upon seeing me exclaims "Oh my gosh, she's even prettier than I imagined!"

I have a small, embarrassed laugh at that. "Madam, ain't no need to try and flatter me…"

The woman who brought me here pats my shoulder as she turns around to leave. "I'll leave you with them. I've work elsewhere that needs to be done."

With her gone, the three of us are silent for a moment. "Madam," I say eventually, addressing the human of the pair, "if I… made you like… uncomfortable this morning, then I apologize."

"Your Highness, that's alright, you-"

"No, no it ain't alright." I cut in. "I shoulda seen it was makin' you a might bit uncomfortable and stopped right then. I apologize." I give her a small bow to show my sincerity.

The woman doesn't know what to say. _I guess I can't blame her, what with how everyone here sees me._ Instead, the fishwoman in glasses speaks up. "Oooh, and your accent is just adorable!" She squeals, and the blue skin of her cheeks blushes a shade closer to purple.

"Uh… um… pardon?" I stammer, completely caught off-guard.

"Never mind her, Your Highness." Says the other quickly, picking up a thin cord marked for measuring. "If you could come here for a moment."

"Aww, I wanna do it! Let me!" The fishwoman whines. "Please, Marcy? Pleeeeease?" She draws out the word like a child begging for candy.

The woman named Marcy lets out a loud, displeased sigh. "Fine." She says, throwing the cord to her. The fishwoman cheers in happiness. Marcy turns to me, as though she has words to say, but remains quiet, and merely turns back around, returning to the work she was doing before I came in.

"Alright!" The woman in glasses exclaims, full of life, a mischievous sparkle in her eye. "Princess, if you'd please, I'm going to take your measurements."

"Yeah... sure." I mumble, then after a small pause of trying to figure what she means by that, ask "What are those?"

The fishwoman has a good, quick laugh. "Come now, princess, you can't be serious!"

A little disgruntled, I convince her I'm not joking, that I really don't know what she's talking about, and a sly grin finds its way onto her face. "Patricia, don't even think about it." Marcy admonishes her.

The fishwoman blows a raspberry at her. "Booo, you're no fun."

I grumble to myself. "Patricia?" I say, and her eyes light up. "It dunno what's going on between you two, but can we just do whatever ya'll dragged me here to do, please?"

She squeals again. "Of course! Of course! My apologies, Princess! And you can just call me Patty if Patricia is too hard to say! Or even just Pat!" Saying no more, she quickly gets to work. Her hands are fidgety and shaky, her demeanor incredibly nervous, especially once she tells me that I need to remove my top, to the point where she ends up collapsing onto the floor. Marcy assures me this is normal, and takes over for her. _If you say so, Madam. _The king, Marcy tells me, asked that I have some clothes other than my dirty hand-stitched gi, so with my measurements (I should've known what she was talking about, since I **can** sew after all - we just never called them them 'measurements' where I'm from) taken, she's able to find me 'something decent' to wear. "A gown more befitting of a princess." Says Marcy.

"Now, wait. Hold up." I quickly say in retaliation. "I don't wear no gowns or dresses or nothin' like that."

Marcy gives me a confused look for a second, then responds "Apologies, Your Highness. It was merely a figure of speech. Here, try this on."

I end up leaving there with a loose, white poet shirt and a pair of baggy dress pants. It's a little too frilly and rich for my tastes, but Marcy has the courtesy not to say anything about the scars on my back when she sees them, so I go along with whatever she gives me. _Coulda come outta that a lot worse. Hope Patty's okay, though. Weird girl. _The day now is late, nearing dusk, and I am yet again without anything in particular to do except wait, and think. Ideas often come to me while I'm active, so I ask the first person I see in a guard's uniform if there's are any training halls within the tower.

"Well yes, but…" The tall, forked-tongued fishman I find stammers.

"Where is it?" I ask. Though unsure why I would want to go there, he answers my question.

They're all ten levels below the main floor, sixteen below my current location. I take a tall flight of stairs down instead of the lift, so as to avoid any more discovering where I'm off to. _If the king gets word of it, he'll think I'm goin' to the dungeon to try and free Natsu, no doubt. _On the way down, I learn that floors 5 down to who knows how far are the city's main barracks. When I get to floor ten, I pass a few alarmed faces. "Princess, I'm sorry!" Your Highness, I wasn't expecting you to be-" I ignore them all, and move on, looking for an empty hall not in use.

I find one eventually and close the door behind me. Inside is nothing that impressive – just a few punching bags hanging from the ceiling and a training dummy made of straw. My muscles are in cobwebs, unused for several days, so I do several warm-up exercises to get them ready again for a workout. After about thirty minutes of that I go over my forms. I was taught the movements so many times during my days at the dojo that I move through them like clockwork, every foot planted in the exact spot, every strike with just the required amount of force behind it, and every breath taken exactly when it needs to be. An hour passes and I've done all my forms twice, so I move on to the punching bags. I feel a different amount of resistance from each. All of them are rice paper to me, but the heaviest, meanest of the bunch is at least a tiny bit tough. I shadowbox with it, pretending it's a bulky, lumbering opponent. I can see all its weak points – the eyes here, the trachea here, the solar plexus ten inches below that – I strike each with every slow swing the punching bag takes at me. _I see… that's it. That's why I can't beat him. I'm like this punching bag: an easy target, swingin' big and heavy, and with every attack I try against him he only needs to strike me where I'm weak… _I let loose another barrage of game-breaking punches. _…to end my attack. And he don't even need to do it with a fist. He's got my weak point locked up in a dungeon; he can end my attack with a word. So… what's __**his**__ weakness? __**His**__ vuln'rable spot? Where can I strike back to swing the odds in my favor? _A noise from behind – the door to the training hall opens. I recognize the presence with it easily. _Speak a' the devil and he's at your door…_

"So you **are** here." Says Aegir.

"Yeah." I plainly reply, not stopping my training for him.

He closes the door behind him, shutting out the eyes of curious trainees outside, and walks to the middle of the room. There is an uneasy quiet between us, only the sounds of my strikes against the helpless punching bag, my calloused soles sliding across the polished wooden floor. He watches me for a moment, then speaks. "You know how to fight?"

"That's right." A fiercer strike than before, into the bag's side. "Somethin' wrong with that?"

"No. No, not at all. It's not what I had expected, though… I suppose I should have. You were lost in a wild corner of the world; it only makes sense that you would learn to defend yourself."

"Well good." I say, dodging a frontal return from the bag, spinning around to land a backfist in its center that nearly sends it to the ceiling. "So no problems, then?" I say that, but my temper is rising, little by little, like a rubber band stretching thin until it…

"Where did you learn?"

…snaps.

I knock the punching bag so hard its chains tears straight through the wooden beam holding it up, and it explodes open, volumes of sand spilling out onto the floor. Realizing I let my anger get the better of me, I hold still for a moment, hoping the situation's emotion will pass.

It doesn't. "Is something… the matter?" Says Aegir, apprehension in his voice. "Claire, please; speak to me. I'm worried about you."

"I know." I reply, trying my best not to make it in a growl. "That's all you do is worry about me."

"Can you blame me? My only child, stolen from me at such a young age… how could I not worry!? How could I not scour the world looking for you, so that once I find you I may protect you with all my ability?"

"I can protect myself!" I yell, and my voice echoes loudly across the wooden walls. "I don't need no help from no one! I can get by just fine on my own. Always have, always WILL."

He is hesitant to approach me, but he does, carefully like a predator, fearing every step may lose him his target. "Claire, don't you see?" He says. "You don't have to anymore. You're home now; others will protect you so that you may finally live in peace." He slowly moves his hands to over my shoulders in a fatherly manner. "I know you've lived a hard life, but-"

I move away from him in disgust. "You know nothin'." I snarl. "You know absolutely NOTHIN'!"

He throws his hands into the air. "Then tell me! Tell me so I may understand what troubles you so terribly!"

I take a moment to compile my thoughts. "Alright." I say stoically and with poise, then turn my body away from him. "You wanna know what your 'protection' did to me? Fine." I move my tentacles in front of me, over my chest, then unbutton the airy shirt Marcy gave me and pull my arms in through the sleeves, letting the garment fall to dangle from my rope belt. As soon as Aegir sees the jagged, intersecting lines of scar tissue that litter my back, he lets out a loud, horrified gasp and puts a hand to his mouth."**This** is what your tireless determination gave to me."

The king's voice is little more than a whisper. "How…?"

"How?" I repeat, lifting my shirt back to my shoulders and buttoning it up. "You sent the Sun Pirates on their mission of blood and they carried it out faithfully. An entire city was razed to the ground with only two survivors, both of 'em only kids, permanently scarred and disfigured for life." My shirt on again, I turn around to face the king. His eyes are in deep contemplation. "It took me an entire year to find the place that I would once again call home. It took you ten. And when you did finally find that place, you did the same damn thing – you completely obliterated it." I come closer to him, taking slow, calculated steps. "You think I came here to be heir to the throne, or to finally meet my family?" Right in his face, I scowl so viciously I can feel in the air his blood chill. "No… my family died fourteen years ago. I came here to get revenge for their murders."

A moment of fierce silence passes between us, as I await his response. When it comes, it is in words masking mixed emotions behind them. "What happened to you, Claire…? What have the monsters of the Red Line done to you? What happened to the daughter I loved?"

"She's dead. Claire Istia died along with everyone else in Redcliff, burned alive by the flames you sent, and **I'm** what rose from her ashes. Me… Aki! Aki Sinagra!"

Aegir's face turns ghost-white at the name, a mixture of horror and fury. "No… no!" He yells, tearing himself away from me. "No, no, no, NO! The kidnappers!? You…! What did they do to you…?"

I relax my muscles, letting out a small, exasperated breath. "They let me choose my own destiny. They set me free – free from their employers in the World Government, and free from you."

"NO!" He yells. "I won't accept that! You are **my** daughter, no one else's!" His rage is boiling, flooding out from him in a sea of white heat, threatening to overwhelm me entirely, but I try to stand fierce against it, fighting the waves, though it is a losing battle. "You will stay here and you will take up the throne when I am gone as is your birthright!" His anger quiets, but it is still present, a viper hiding underneath his skin. "And until then, I **will** protect you. I let our family be torn asunder once – I shall never let it happen again! Not by war, not by the World Government, and not even by you. You **will** wed Prince Fukaboshi, and that is final! And if you so much as even set one foot outside this tower, the devil you brought here shall hang!"

He storms out of the room, and with him his fiery rage follows, leaving behind a lingering heat in the air that has me in a fearful sweat. I don't know what to say, or what to think. My mind, my spirit – it's all battered and bruised, too weak to put up any kind of a fight against this man. He's got me defeated before I can even lift a fist.

* * *

After that day, after that encounter in the training hall, things change for the worst, and they don't return to how they were. Natsu's prison cell is kept guarded around the clock, and I too am being watched. Everyone I pass, every soldier or worker, they all look at me differently now, and few speak to me. I can't tell what it is. _Pity? Shame? Disgust? _It makes me sick to think that even here, in the place I was born, I'm still being ostracized. However, by the third day since my arrival in Orbis Tertius, news of my arrival has fully circulated throughout the city. A great number of people have gathered outside The Eye, wishing to see me, but Aegir is too far gone in his paranoid madness to have me greet the public. So from a certain point of view, I'm as imprisoned as Natsu is. I end up spending the majority of my time training, either physically in the soldiers' training halls (under strict supervision of course) or mentally, sitting for great periods of time in meditation in the indoor gardens or the bathroom or the revolting pink bedroom – wherever I can find a piece of tranquility to hold on to. This continues for a week, until there are just two days left before the wedding, and some startling news arrives in the middle of dinner..

"Claire, come with me." Says Aegir, wiping his mouth clean and standing up.

"What is it?" I ask in between the noises of chewing shrimp.

"Invaders." He solemnly says. _Oh shit! Who? The World Government?_ I immediately swallow my bite of food and get up to follow him, grabbing one last shrimp for along the way. The thought of escaping with Natsu during an attack on the city had bounced once or twice into my mind, but it seemed like such a remote possibility that I didn't think much on it. But the look in the king's eyes, and in that of everyone around us, scrambling about, is deadly serious.

"Where are we goin'?" I ask, as we leave the dining hall and head towards the central lift.

"To the top of The Eye." He responds.

_The very top!? That high!? _I'd wondered what filled the rest of the tower – as far as my time here told me, there were no floors above the one the king's chambers were on, one floor above my bedroom. "What's there?" I ask.

We enter the lift, and when the doors close he responds "I'm going to summon the Storm."

I've heard so much of this phenomenon – 'the greatest defense in the world', 'where the kingdom gained its name' – but I still haven't a clue what it actually is. _Hopefully it ain't nothin' __**too**__ great or I won't get my chance to flee. _"You said invaders… **who's** invadin'? Is it the World Government?"

"Pirates." We pass by the highest marked floor, but the lift keeps on rising. Aegir keeps his gaze in front of him as he answers.

"Pirates?" I repeat. "Can't the navy take care a' that?"

"Apparently, no they cannot." says Aegir with a displeased look. "The ship was too fast for any of ours to catch, and it now sails here outside of the three paths, in what we call the Storm waters."

We are quiet for a time as the lift continues to ascend, higher and higher. Eventually I speak. "Still seems a bit much." Trying to appeal to him, I add "For the king to be called to put a stop to just one pirate ship."

"Normally, you would be correct. However, these pirates are of great importance to us." He pauses for a moment. "You know them… the Straw Hat Pirates."

_What!? The Straw Hats!? They're here!? But wait, you don't mean they… _"Monkey D. Luffy?"

"Yes. The very same, who fought in the Battle of Marineford, and who now still clings to Ryugu as though it were his 'turf', so to speak."

"But… but wait – that don't mean you gotta kill him, do it?" I try and plead. "Can't you just talk with him? Get him to understand?"

Aegir finally turns his gaze towards me. "I thought you were the one who said this was not a pirate who cared for such things." I mentally smack myself in the forehead. _Well yeah, but... this ain't what I meant instead!_ "Regardless, there are other reasons his life is now forfeit. First, he is a Devil's Fruit user, as are some of his crewmates. They were stopped at the border, discovered, and yet they ignored our laws and punctured through our barricade." He lowers his voice to a mumble for a moment. "**How** I haven't the foggiest…" He clears his throat. "And second… he has not come here to talk or to barter with us. He has come here for you, Claire."

I gasp, and my knees buckle for a fraction of a second. "Me…?"

"Yes, you. Though they referred to you by that name the Government dogs gave to you, he made clear his motives. He means to steal you from this place, from your home."

"But why…?" I whisper, a nearly breathless voice. "Why would he?" I grit my teeth in frustration. "That stupid… I told him a thousand times I ain't a part a' his crew… and yet still he's…"

The lift slows to a stop and the doors open up. Outside is a small room no more than twenty feet in diameter, perfectly circular, with no windows or doors, only a staircase slowly spiraling upwards around the room's edge. The king exits the lift. "Then you were correct in your assessment. He is unapproachable, the kind who understands only force. So it is force he shall be met with. Come." I follow him out into the empty room and up the staircase, to the kind of place gods dream of.

We are at the very top of The Eye, and it seems like we might as well be at the very top of the world itself. I can see the entire surface of the city from here, spread out far below us in a five-pointed star, with us directly in the center. Beyond that is the ocean, and it's incredible just how far I can see. We're so high the horizon has even begun to bend, showing the strange curvature of the world. The strangest thing of all however, is that even this high, there is absolutely no wind. The air is perfectly still. That doesn't stop me from being terribly frightened to leave the top of the staircase. The king however is entirely unfazed by the tremendous height and walks to the middle of the roof, to a black stone platform.

"This stone here beneath my feet is sacred." Aegir says, standing atop the platform. "It is the heart of this island, the focal point of all its energy. From it, our ancestors crafted but one treasure – the crown I wear on my head." He raises his hands to the sky, overlooking the grand city. "This place is special, our Orbis Tertius. All the world knows this. Those who are born here are nothing like their counterparts elsewhere in the world. And even to those who come from faraway lands, it too… affects them. They become connected to this place, whether they know it or not. This crown, this artifact from the island's heart – it grants its wearer ability over those connections." He turns to me. "When you threw your fist at me, Claire, it was not only my my energy that deflected it – it was that of every soul in Orbis Tertius. A tidal wave, eight million strong. **That** is the power, the responsibility that comes with rule; in the king lies the will of his nation." He raises his arms again, and turns his back to me once more. "And through the king shall the will of his nation be done!"

Movement. Though I am not shaken to either side, the tower definitely moved. I look to the king for an answer, but he is quiet, his hands lowered. Then, with a great inhalation of breath, he lifts them high again, and the murmuring feeling of movement fills me again. "What's goin' on!?" I shout. Aegir does not respond, but only waits until the shuddering stops, then lowers his arms again, and it continues. The movement is recognizable at this point. _We're… fallin'?_ It is the telltale loss in weight that comes with a fall that I feel. _But I ain't… we ain't… I'm not! Right?_ The feeling stops after several seconds, and then the king lifts his arms once more, and instead of falling, we are now rising. _What is it? The top a' the tower? The whole tower? No… _It comes to me, as the rising stops, he lowers his arms, and the falling begins once again.

It is the entire island.

All of Orbis Tertius is rising and falling with Aegir's movements, with his will, like a colossal bowl floating upon the sea. "This is insane!" I yell, but my voice falls on deaf ears. I want to move, but my haki as well, my energy also is being drained by his great power to fuel this madness. Two more heights and depths are reached, and a horrifying sight emerges. The island lowers enough that I can see the massive waves it's creating over the top of the great walls, before they roll off towards the horizon, mysteriously ignoring the three paths to the capital. _There ain't no way Monkey can sail through this! Even with that miracle ship he's got… there just ain't no way! _"Please stop! Please!" I yell, even though I know my words will do nothing. The island rises so high the air grows thin, and so low I fear the ocean will come back and swallow the city whole.

With one final push, with a great cry of fury from the king orchestrating it all, the island descends one last time, and the resulting wave is so gargantuan that even the clouds far in the distance are torn from their seat in the sky, terrible black storms left behind in its wake.

After a few minutes of bobbing up and down in the ocean, Orbis Tertius returns to its place atop a calm sea, and the king is removed from his trance. He does not say a word as he steps down from the black stone. I want to do something to him. Strike him, bite him, push him off the tower, anything – but my body will barely move. All I can manage is a single word. "Monkey…"

"He will not live to see another day." Aegir says. "No one has ever survived the Storm, and no one ever shall."

I find my voice. "I refuse to believe that." I growl.

The king sticks his nose up. "Believe what you want; Straw Hat Luffy is dead."

_No, he ain't. He ain't dead. _All the way back down The Eye, I keep telling myself that, never letting my faith in the young captain falter even the slightest.


	86. Chapter 86

**Eighty Six – No Longer Alone? Devising a Plan for the Final Battle**

The next morning there is no word of the Straw Hats' survival, but I do not let it deter me. _If I don't believe in the kid, then that's the end. I know he's still alive out there somewhere. I __**know**__ it!_ However, the day passes and still the news is the same. Monkey is presumed to be dead and the wedding is on track. The royals from Ryugu arrive late in the evening, late enough that I am already asleep by then. The next morning I wake up early and spend the majority of the morning avoiding people. Patty in the tailor's workshop is more than happy to let me hide away there, as long as I don't look at whatever it is she and Marcy are working on in the backroom. "Fine by me, I just really don't wanna talk to those folks from Fishman Island…" I mumble.

"You can talk to me instead!" Patty squeals. Marcy grabs her ear and pulls her back to their secret work, much to the fishwoman's dismay. _Weird girl…_

Around noon, the Neptune family leaves the palace; I assume to go see the sights around town or something. It matters little to me – as long as they're gone, that's all that matters to me. Aegir demands to know where I was when I reappear, but I leave him with silence. That sparks his temper, but I don't care. I spend the rest of the day here and there, drifting about the palace with no aim, watchful eyes always upon me. When the royals from Ryugu return to the palace, I pretend that I've retired myself to sleep early in preparation for the big day tomorrow. In truth, I am awake, wide awake. I can't find any options left to me. Everything I have tried to do on my own has failed me. _So that's it, huh…? I just ain't got it in me to have Natsu die, even if it means being trapped here forever. Looks like tomorrow's the last day for Aki Sinagra… _I sigh heavily, staring out my window at the twilight cityscape. _Welcome back to the world, Claire._

* * *

There comes to my ears, in the first hours of daylight, a light reverberation of sound that calmly brings a halt to the dream I'd found myself in. I pay it little mind and try to return to my rest. It continues for a moment, then stops, and right beside my ear comes a soft murmur of an elfish voice.

"S… h… d…" it whispers. Not enough to fully drag me out of sleep. "Squ… he…" Again it whispers, and I roll over to try and ignore it. The voice laughs under its breath, and then says in a voice just loud enough to rouse me back to the real world entirely "Squid-head!" Slowly I open my eyes, and find before me the sly grin of Monkey D. Luffy hovering over me.

I nearly let out a scream, but cover my mouth just in time, frantically backing up to the wall. He lets out another mischevious laugh. "Found youuu!" He jeers as I rub my eyes free of sleep.

"Monkey…? Monkey, it **is** you!" I grab him into a big bear hug and squeeze him tight. "Man, am I glad to see you!" Along with him is Sanji and Namizou. Sanji I'd already seen after the two years I was separated from the Straw Hats, but Namizou – he's… 'grown'… His striking orange hair is much longer, cascading down his back, covered only by a scant bikini top. _How in the world ain't you a woman, Namizou…? I fear that's a mystery I'll never understand…_ The window to outside is wide open, a warm summer breeze flowing through the room.

"I'm glad to see you too, Miss Aki!" Sanji sings. _Ah, why the hell not. _I leave the bed and give him a big hug as well, from which he promptly collapses onto the floor in ecstasy. Namizou gives me a look like 'Try that with me and I'll punch you in the face.' so I leave him be with just a smile.

"How'd ya'll make it here?" I ask them, after making sure their arrival went unnoticed. "Everyone was so sure you was done for when the Storm was summoned!"

"Never mind that. What about-" Namizou begins, but Monkey abruptly interrupts him.

"It was so COOL!" He exclaims, and the rest of us shush him to keep his voice down. Lowering it to an excited whisper, he goes on. "Man, you should've seen it! The waves kept getting bigger and bigger, until the biggest one was so high we couldn't even see the top! So Franky came up with a great idea!"

"A shitty crazy idea." Sanji adds, returning from his reverie.

"But it worked!" Monkey continues. "We turned Sunny around and rode the wave along its side, to the part of the sea that it skipped over, and just as all the water was about to fall on top of us, we got to the safe zone, and Franky used a Coup de Burst and rocketed us across to the other side!"

"A Coup de what now?"

"Never mind that! We flew! We flew right over, soaring through the air as the wave passed by, and then landed on the other side! It was so totally awesome!"

A small laugh escapes me. "That sounds just like you, Monkey. So how'd you sneak into the city?"

Monkey grins. "Old man Neptune snuck us in!"

"The royals from Fishman Island?" I reply. He nods enthusiastically.

"Hold on, hold on." Namizou interjects. "What about **you**, Aki?"

"What… about me?"

"Why didn't you ever tell us you were princess of an entire country?"

_Oh. Right, that._ "Well… I didn't know."

"I figured that! I mean, when you did know; you, Natsu, and Jinbei all fled out of Fishman Island without saying a word! You could've at least told us!"

I turn my gaze downward. "I'm… I'm sorry, Monsieur. You're right. I should've. But… I wanted to do this by myself! This was my fight, I thought, but…"

"Ehh, who cares about all that?" Says Monkey while casually picking his nose. "We're here, you're here, let's go!"

"Go?" I repeat.

"Yeah, back to Sunny, and then out of this place! C'mon!"

"I'm sorry… I can't." I reply, downtrodden.

"Huh? Why not?" He whines.

"It's Natsu."

"Oh! Curly Hair's with you!?" He exclaims, like he'd completely forgotten about her.

"She is, but… well, no she ain't. She's been kidnapped." The three all turn serious.

"Kidnapped!?" Sanji says. "By who?"

"By my f… By my…"

"By your father?" Namizou finishes.

"By the king." I say instead. "I can't leave until she's safe."

Monkey punches his palm. "Well that's no problem. I'll just beat him up and make him give her back!"

"No!" I exclaim, then lower my voice. "No, you can't fight him, Monkey. He's just too powerful for that!"

Monkey blows a raspberry. "No way! I saw a picture of the old man yesterday – he doesn't look too tough."

"He is." I assure him. "I tried to fight him before, and I… I couldn't even bruise him. Jinbei was nearly reduced to nothin' just bein' in his presence. It's his power…"

Namizou gasps. "He has a Devil's Fruit power!? But I thought this kingdom was-"

"No, it ain't that." I interject. "He showed me the other day when he summoned the Storm. It's the crown he wears. It lets him siphon the haki of every livin' being on this entire island. Not only does he steal your own, but he throws back eight million others at you." Fear enters into the young captain, a rare thing to witness in his eyes. Sanji and Namizou are frightened as well. "And even if you could beat him, Monkey, I wouldn't let you – he's **mine** to finish."

"How, then?" Monkey says, his normal playfulness gone, replaced with grave solemnity. "How are gonna you beat him?"

"I don't know yet, I'm… I'm thinkin'. I'm still thinkin'! But I will! I swear I will! Or I'll die tryin', I don't care. Because he's my…" I swallow the lump in my throat and summon the courage to say the words. "Because he's my father! **I'm** the one who's gotta make him pay for what he did!" I try and calm my nerves with a long, drawn-out sigh. "Monkey, I saw the paper two years ago. I saw the pictures, and I read what they did to your brother at Marineford." I see the memories flood back into him, a mixture of emotions swirling about inside him – anger, sadness, regret. They're the very same I've felt. "You know the pain a' losin' someone dear to you. If you came face to face with the man who murdered your brother, could you let someone else take your revenge for you?"

The pink room is silent for a moment as Monkey thinks his response. "That'd be fine." He replies.

I squint my eyes in disbelief. "You honestly mean that?"

"I do." He says. "Of course I want to get back at Akainu for what he did, but… if I couldn't, and Zoro, or Sanji, or Robin, or whoever did it for me in my place… well, that'd be just fine too." He grows a large smile. "Because that's what nakama do for each other."

His upbeat demeanor is contagious. "That's mighty adm'rable of you, Monkey. But… I'm sorry. I ain't you. It's the same reason I came after you two years ago. You did Arlong in and I just couldn't stand that." I clench my teeth in frustration. "I'm just too damn stubborn!"

Monkey thinks on the situation for a second, then stands and walks to the open window. "Sanji. Nami. We're leaving."

"W-Wait!" I stammer.

"Yeah, hold on, Luffy!" Namizou exclaims. "We can't just leave her, can we?"

Monkey lowers the brim of his straw hat over his brow. "I've tried so many times… If she can't accept our help then there's no reason for us to give it to her. C'mon."

"Monkey, no! That ain't it! Please!" He doesn't listen. Sanji and Namizou both have their reserves in leaving, but they too stand up and make for the window. "Please, don't go! It's Natsu! If you can't save me, save her! None a' this is her fault! She shouldn't suffer for me! I… I…" Falling to my knees, I whimper "I can't do this alone… Please, Monkey. I'll join your crew, I'll be your nakama… anythin', just… please…" I take a deep breath. "Help me, Luffy…"

He stops just short of the windowsill before lifting his foot to climb out. "You idiot." He says. I gasp, covering my mouth. Turning around however, his face is a bright smile. "How many times have I said it already? You've always been our nakama… Aki!"

I fall back onto the floor and take a gigantic sigh of relief, then burst into a nervous laughter. It spreads to them immediately, and for a moment we're all laughing, until we remember we have to keep quiet.

"So here's what I know…" I give them a rough layout of the island, that it is actually floating atop the ocean, and how the city continues on below the surface. I tell them where the dungeon is located, and how to get there. From the look on Monkey's face, their strategy isn't much of a strategy at all; they'll probably just plow through, guns a-blazing. _Whatever works, Monkey... I'm leavin' it in your hands._

"How long do we have?" Namizou asks.

"Until noon." I reply, then glance at a clock sitting on an endtable. "So about five hours."

He cringes. "That… isn't much time."

"It's enough." Monkey says assuringly. "I promise we'll get her out of there. You can count on us, Aki!"

I smile. "I will." The three of them are about to leave, out the window again, but I've still one more thing to ask. "Sanji? Could you do me a favor?"

He immediately turns around with love in his eyes. "Of course, Miss Aki! Anything your heart desires!"

I grumble at the antics, but don't remark upon them. "Is my bag of things I left with ya'll still on Sunny?"

"I believe it is."

"My most precious possession is in there… a memento from my foster parents." I lower my head. "I wanna have it with me later, so… could you get it for me?"

"Hmmm. I don't know." Monkey answers for him. "We hid Sunny waaaay far away on the edge of the island."

Namizou intervenes. "Luffy's right… for once. I don't think we have time."

"Please." I insist. "This could be the last chance I ever get."

Sanji kneels before me and gently grabs my hand, much like he tried to do the first time he approached me when I was unmasked. "Of course I shall, Miss Aki." Trying my best to be courteous to the one I'm asking a favor of, I let him go through with the gesture, cringing horribly as he plants a kiss on the back of my hand. The three then grab on to Monkey as he hops out the window and stretches down to the ground. As soon as they are out of sight I wipe my hand on the carpet and run to the bathroom.

Instead I end up running into Patty, who steals me away. "We don't have much time, Princess, come!"

"Time for what?" I ask as we speed through the palace hallways.

"Oh come oooon!" She jeers. "You haven't guessed it by now?" _I can't guess anythin' when it comes to you, Madam._

Our destination is to my surprise, not their little workshop, but down, far down, past the lower city, past even the dungeons, to a depth I didn't even think existed, floor -60. "How far down this island go? I ask.

"This is the bottom floor." Patty answers.

"Really? What's there?"

"No one told you? Aw… poor Princess." She cooes. "It's the Flooded Cathedral."

"C-c-cathedral!?" I stammer. "W-wait! Already!? But we still got like four hours, don't we!?"

Her tone turns melancholy for a moment. "Well… you're the bride."

"Y-yeah… so?"

"So… everything takes longer for the bride." She says. I grumble curses to myself as the lift continues its descent to a horrible fate I pray I can avoid.


	87. Chapter 87

**Eighty Seven – Countdown to the End! The Ceremony Begins with Tension**

When the door opens, after a long time spent in the cold, moving room, we exit into a lavishly decorated area. A monumentally large hall, meant to hold a great number of people of various sizes, with extravagant red and gold rugs, beautiful paintings along the walls and sparkling glass chandeliers hanging from the ceiling – it's all a wondrous sight. Patty is almost just as stupefied by the place as I am. "The cathedral hasn't been used since your father's wedding twenty-five years ago, so barely anyone's been down here before. I just came here for the first time last night. Isn't it so pretty down here?"

"Yeah… it is." I say quietly. In truth the wealth feels incredibly alien to me, like this isn't a place I belong, but I keep that to myself.

"Though, not as pretty as we're gonna make you!" Patty snickers.

I groan. "What's that s'pposed to mean?"

She giggles impishly. "Come and see, Princess!" Without much of a choice, I follow her through to the opposite side of the empty hall to a carpeted hallway, then through there, around a couple corners to a door Patty knocks on five times. "It's me!" She says into the door.

"Is the Princess with you?" Marcy's muffled voice replies.

"Yeah, I'm here." I answer back for Patty. "Could you mind tellin' me what this's all…" The door opens. "…about?"

Patty scoots me into to a crowded room, where inside is Marcy and two other women, both fishwomen, and both several years older than I. They greet me with anxious faces. "Uh… Madams." I say, trying to remain polite while terribly nervous.

"Your Highness! It's such an honor to finally meet you!" One of the fishwomen enthusiastically greets me. "My name is Lucille."

"And I'm Violet." Says the other.

"Y-yeah, pleasure…" I stammer, then notice by her is a mannequin garbed in a gorgeous, billowing, white dress. My mind doesn't make the connection. "Whose dress is that?" I ask.

All the women exchange glances. "Why, it's yours, of course." Lucille answers.

"Oh, right – mine…" It clicks. "WHAT!? NO!" I yell, then turn around to make a break for the door.

It's been closed shut, and Patty is fiercely guarding it with a grin on her face. "Heeheehee! I told you you're going to look gorgeous, Princess! Aren't you excited?" She smiles.

"Hell no! I told ya'll I don't wear no damn dresses or nothin' like that!"

She gives me sad puppy dog eyes amplified by her enormous glasses. "But… you'll look so pretty…" She whimpers. "Pleeeease?"

"N-now… now hold on, that ain't fair!" Taken off-guard, the other three grab hold of me and pull me away from the door. I'm too terrified to break free. "No! Don't make me do this! Please!"

"If it makes you feel any better," Lucille says, "the dress doesn't come until later."

"R-really? Then… what's now?"

"Make-up, of course."

I scream. Squirming even harder now, I'm held down by all four of them like an angry child. "Princess, please!" Marcy shouts, trying to wrangle up my tentacles, which causes a reflex in me to throw her away. She collides with the wall with a painful cry that knocks me out of my fit.

"Marcy!" Patty cries, and rushes to her side. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" I exclaim, horrified at what I did.

"I'm fine." Marcy answers. "Really, I'm… I'm fine." Though, her eyes hold a flash of anger in them as she glances my way.

"I'm sorry," I repeat, "I just… no, never mind. There ain't no excuse." I sigh, lowering my head in resignation. "Do your worst to me, Madams."

The next forty minutes are a cold lesson in patience and willpower. I've never cared for make-up, far from it, and I still don't, but I at least thought I knew the names of the stuff. But they put crap on me I've never even heard of, and on every part of my face. Eyes, nose, forehead, cheeks, lips – nothing's sacred. Foolishly I scratch one of my eyes after Violet put whatever it is she put on there and she nearly screams in disgust. "Your Highness, no! You can't touch it!" That easily adds another ten minutes to this torture. To add icing on the cake of insult a white ribbon is tied into a bow on the end of each tentacle. _What'd I ever do to deserve this…? I bet I look like a damn clown in all this… Thank goodness there ain't no mirror in here._

That hassle finally over with, they want to slip me into the dress, even though there are still three hours until the wedding is scheduled. After my tantrum before though, I know I'm in no place to argue, and Violet strictly warns me against doing anything that could mess with the make-up. So I go along with their evil designs. _This suuuucks. How do some women wear this gunk every day? _Patty has me undressed in record time, and after a few moments filled with various forms of awkwardness ("Why in the world do you wear boxers, Princess?" "You did go to the bathroom first, right?"), they put on me more things I've worn only in nightmares.

"Ain't I tall enough already? I don't **gotta** wear these, do I?" I whine, holding up the pair of white high heels like I would a snake ready to bite me. "I sure as hell don't know how to walk in 'em anyway…"

"Well, you have a couple hours to learn." Says Lucille. "Just envision a straight line and keep your feet on it. It's not too hard." Not winning that argument, I put the stupid things on and stand up, and almost immediately start to lose my balance.

"Your Highness," Marcy remarks, "forgive me for asking, but how in the world did you go through life and never learn any of these things?"

"I lived on a remote mountain learnin' martial arts! I ain't never had time for stupid things like this! Certainly nothin' like these dang shoes I can't even take one step in!"

The women gasp. "Martial arts?" Patty says. "So are you really strong, Princess?"

I snicker, and can't help but gloat. "Madam, I took on a Shichibukai and beat him barehanded!"

"My goodness!" Lucille exclaims. "Well, walking in a pair of shoes shouldn't be so hard for you then, right?" _Dang it, Madam… don't say it like that…_ They have me walk around the room a bit to try and get used to it. _Okay… I guess it ain't **so** hard. Uncomfortable as all hell, though._ Once that's out of the way, then comes the worst part. I thought I had already known my greatest fears – returning to the burnt wasteland of my childhood home, seeing my own limbs disintegrating before me, swimming in pitch-black waters thousands of miles under the sea – but this white silk dress being held before me so that I may slip into it… this is terrifying me down to my very soul.

Violet, who had left earlier when she had finished with the make-up, peeks her head in through the door. "Guests are arriving." She announces.

"Ooh! Anyone big? I wanna see!" Patty exclaims.

"Hold it." Marcy stops her. "We're not done here." She turns to me. "Your Highness, please – it's just a dress. It's not going to bite you."

"Yeah, I know! I... I can do this, I swear. Just…" They put the heels down on the floor inside the dress, so I have to step into them. Carefully, like I'm testing hot waters, I slip a foot into one of the shoes, then carefully move into the other one. Instantly Marcy and Patty wrap the white material around me and button it up tight in the back. _Well… looks like you're stuck now, Aki._ I look down at myself trapped in this thing: at the front, then to the holes tailored into the dress to keep my gills free, and finally to the back, which they graciously kept covered so as to not reveal all my scars.

"There, that wasn't so painful, now was it?" Says Marcy, once they're finished. I only grumble in response.

Patty looks absolutely delighted. "Oh Princess, you're just… you're just too gorgeous! I just wanna-"

Marcy throws an arm in front of her. "No."

"Aww, but I just wanna touch-"

"**No**."

Patty gives up and leaves the room, pouting. Marcy gives me some base instructions on how to function with the dress on: how to walk, how to sit, et cetera. Or rather… she tells me how **not** to walk and sit. "Practice in the hallway for a bit. I'll be back in a moment." She leaves me alone in the room, the door left wide open, and for a few minutes I'm too afraid to move. Eventually, I gather the courage and take a step. _If I rip this thing in half, I warned 'em._ No damage. So carefully, I leave the room and walk out into the hallway, peeking my head out first to make sure nobody is around. _Good, the coast is clear. Last thing I need is another Patty fawnin' over how 'goooorgeous' and 'beauuuutiful' I look in this. Like there's any way. Ain't possible for me to look nice, I always known that. And what's she care anyway? With all the talk she does you might as well think she's-_

It suddenly hits me like a ton of bricks. "OH MY GOD!" I unthinkingly yell out loud. _No way! All this time and I never noticed she's also… that she also likes... Where is she!? I gotta find her! If I let this chance slip…!_

I hurry as fast as this dress and these shoes will allow me through the hallway, into the direction I came from earlier, but as I near the main hall, I hear the muffled murmur of a large crowd of many voices. I immediately come to a halt, a terrible dread entered into me. Picking up the dress and turning around (can't walk backwards in this damn thing), I sit down in the nearest place I can, a cushioned bench near a corner. _Monkey, you better get here quick. I don't think I can bring myself to walk out there like this…_

I let out a long, heavy sigh, staring down the hallway despondently, like a ghost in its haunting grounds. After several minutes of just sitting there and trying to clear my mind, I spot in my peripherals the figure of an attractive young woman sitting down on another one of the benches to my left. Unaware I was not alone all this time, I turn to greet her out of reflex. "My apologies, Madam! I can't believe I didn't notice such a beautiful, young- OH GOD that's a mirror!" I can't believe my eyes at first, but that beautiful, young woman in the white dress staring back at me is… _M-__Me!? That's… that's actually me!? _Of course it is, but I'm having trouble accepting that I could actually look like that. _I didn't… I always thought… how is that me!? I ain't s'pposed to be prett-_ I'm afraid to even think the word. I poke and stretch at my cheek, watching the reflection of the me I'd never seen before imitate the movements. When the reflection gives two coquettish blinks back at me, I discover that… there was a new low I had not yet reached in my life…

"Princess, no! You're smudging everything up!" Violet shrieks in an uproar as she notices me. "Now I've got to fix- did you...? Is that a nosebleed!?"

* * *

Noon draws nearer and nearer, and still no word of the Straw Hats, not even of conflict in the dungeon. The only news I do receive is the arrival of guests, namely the royal family from Fishman Island. I can't imagine how Shirahoshi managed to squeeze herself down here. With them of course, is Fukaboshi, the groom. The thought of getting married to a man is gross enough, but getting married to Fukaboshi is enough to make me want to vomit. I start to worry. _C'mon, Monkey… I'm countin' on you. _

"Wow, the hall's really packed!" Lucille comments, with only thirty minutes left to go. "I imagine you're nervous, Princess." _Madam, you have no idea. _"I don't blame you. There are some big names out there." She lowers her voice to a hush. "I heard even Monkey D. Dragon's out there."

For a moment I think she said 'Monkey D. Luffy', but I still am surprised once I realize she didn't. "The leader of the Revolution'ry Army?" I reply.

"The same. Of course, he'll probably be in disguise. Even though this city is safe for him, he's known to never take any chances. Did you know his son is Straw Hat Luffy?"

I pause for a moment, then pretend I'm surprised by the news. "Really?"

She nods. "Though they say they've never even met. Oh… I'm sorry, I guess you know how that must feel. I shouldn't have said anything. Forgive me, Your Highness." _I don't think Monkey's got much of a grudge against __**his**__ old man. Least he never told me. …Then again I never told __**him**__ nothin' about mine neither._

Marcy bursts into the room with dire news. "Princess, the cathedral is being aired out, they'll be ready for you soon."

I gulp. _Monkeeey… where are youuu? Any time now…_ "What do you mean, 'aired out'?" I ask, trying to make conversation to keep my mind from worrying.

Lucille answers. "The Flooded Cathedral is named so because of an accident many centuries ago which left it entirely flooded with sea water. Being so far down, at the very bottom tip of the island, the water pressure is so great that only the power of the reigning king or queen can hold it back and fill the chamber with air."

_Interestin'… So if he's gotta concentrate on keepin' the cathedral from gettin' flooded, that oughta mean he won't be at full strength! I might actually have a chance at fightin' him! Now if only Monkey would show up… _The boost in confidence, while small, is just enough to lead me out of here, out to face the gaze of so many watchful eyes in waiting.

I hear and feel great volumes of water moving about as the king works his magic, and not long after, the sound of feet and voices as everyone is ushered into the cathedral. My anxiety returns, but I combat it with willpower. When only five minutes remain until noon, the bridesmaids lead me there as well, out into the hall, then down a great flight of stairs, where just before the closed cathedral doors Fukaboshi stands tall, wearing a glossy black suit and tie, yet still absolutely nothing over his tail. Seeing me in my dress descending down the staircase towards him, he blushes for a moment. It gives me a sickening feeling in my stomach, but thankfully the look is gone just as quick as it appeared. "I don't believe this." He says with a tone thoroughly disgusted. "**You're** the Storm Princess? I'm marrying **you**?"

"I guarantee you I'm at least twice as pissed as you are." I scowl.

A voice from inside begins to speak. I immediately recognize it to be Aegir's. "Friends, family, and countrymen! It is a joy I cannot fully express in words that has gathered all of you here today." He begins, starting with a speech.

"The Straw Hats should've been here by now…" Fukaboshi remarks not far into the speech.

That raises my spirits a decimal, hearing their name. The king continues talking, but neither of us are really listening to what he has to say. "Have you heard anythin' from 'em?" I ask.

"Not since this morning, when I was told of your plan." He pauses for a moment. "It's mad, you know that?"

"They'll be right at home then, won't they?"

That draws an uncharacteristic snicker out of him. A moment later, the king's speech ends, followed by a round of loud applause. After a brief silence, a pipe organ begins to play drowsy wedding music. "Get ready! You're about to go in!" Marcy tells us in a loud whisper. I try and calm my nerves, but it's only half-working. _Just don't trip, Aki. If the weddin's gonna be ruined, it's gonna be by the king gettin' a fist to the face, not by you fallin' flat on yours…_

"You know, I have no idea what we're supposed to do." Fukaboshi says.

"Neither do I."

"We just go down the aisle, right?"

"Hell if I know." I groan.

"Well… here goes nothing, then."

I glance up at him. "You're way too calm. Don't this whole thing make you mad?"

"Incredibly." He responds. "I was completely unaware my father arranged such a stupid marriage when I was a child."

"Me too."

"…I had a girlfriend, you know."

"Me too." I repeat myself. He gives me a weird look, but does not have the chance to say anything further, as the great stone doors before us slowly open.

For the fear in me, I cannot help but marvel at how beautiful the cathedral is. Its atmosphere is wholly otherworldly. It has the feel of an enormous undersea cavern, the walls naturally adorned with mollusks and ferns, but also has the controlled order of a man-made structure. What once were windows along the two sides and the far wall are all long since shattered, leaving large, open holes, but the water is held firm in place by the king's tremendous power. Before us is a long, cherry-red carpet splitting the guests, all seated in stone benches. Fukaboshi and I both take a step inside. Well… **I** take a step; Fukaboshi sort of slithers in on his tail. Everyone turns to meet eyes with us. Fukaboshi keeps his gaze forward with a stern posture, but I can't help but throw quick glances around, noting everything I can about the area without looking suspicious. In addition to the floor seating, there are two balconies overlooking the cathedral, one above the other, though it doesn't look like there's a great deal of room up there in either of them.

Outside in the open waters are both King Neptune and Princess Shirahoshi, looking in. I'd never seen Fishman Island's king before. He looks the part far more than the Storm's does: triumphant, strong, a thick beard of orange, a powerful tail of blue, and a tall, golden crown atop his head. Though not as large as his daughter, he is still of considerable size, definitely far too large to fit inside. I wonder for a moment if he wants this marriage to proceed as much as Aegir does. The fact that it was he who snuck the Straw Hats into Orbis Tertius tells me he doesn't. _I guess he didn't have no choice in the matter. Politics and all that garbage._

At the end of the red carpet stands an altar with a life-size limestone statue of a fishman, no doubt some ancient Storm King, his hands resting atop an ancient greatsword. Before his aged likeness are two figures, two old men both garbed in gowns denoting regalness: the minister and the king. Noticing Aegir's austere presence, every step is harder than the last, like wading through swamp-water. When at last we reach the carpet's end, the organ stops its melody, and silence fills the cathedral.

The minister breaks it. "Dearly beloved," he says, his deep voice reverberating throughout the chamber, "from many lands are we gathered here today, to join together not only this man and this woman together in union, but these two nations, in the presence of the great ocean that binds them together." I glance at Aegir, who notices and makes eye contact. His are the eyes of the victor in this game between us, but I'm not ready to throw in the towel just yet. _Any time now you wanna save the day, Monkey, be my guest. _"Every marriage is a momentous occasion." The minister continues. "This one is no exception. The wedlock of these two young souls shall be remembered as the event that changed history, that shifted power over in the world to those who favor freedom over tyranny, revolution over compliance, life over death. Therefore, this marriage is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but instead with love, respect, friendship, and honor." He is given by the best man, ironically a random face I've never seen before, an open, cushioned box with a pair of golden necklaces resting inside. _Dang it, I was hopin' maybe they'd be stupid enough to use rings. "But Minister, I can't wear rings!" Blech. So much for that stupid idea._ "Now, would you both please turn andface each other, and hold hands.

Like rusted clockwork we turn, and hesitantly touch each others' hands. His are rough and gross – not to mention three times the size of mine. "Prince Fukaboshi of the Ryugu Kingdom, son of Neptune and Otohime, do you take Claire to be your wife? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all others, holding only unto her?"

I look up into his eyes. I can tell he's struggling with the answer. _If you got any crazy ideas, Princey, now's the time…_ After only a moment of silence, however, he solemnly replies "I do." Immediately he changes from a proud prince to one defeated.

The minister turns to me. "Princess Claire of the Storm Kingdom, daughter of Aegir and Rann, do you take Fukaboshi to be your husband? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect him, forsaking all others, holding only unto him?"

I can't answer. No words can escape my mouth to sound the quiet hall. "Princess…?" The minister repeats. "Princess, are you alright?"

Aegir knows the reason behind my silence. "Say it." He quietly commands, but still I cannot bring myself to speak the words. "There is no point in holding out. They weren't able to save her." I gasp, wide-eyed, and slowly turn my head to his. _N-__No…! That can't be…! That's impossible! There's no way they could be beaten! Not there! Not by just some crummy soldiers!_

I return my eyes to Fukaboshi, who I can see is also distressed by the grim news, also unable to believe the Straw Hats would be incapable of such a seemingly simple task. "I…" I begin to stammer, breathless, fearful.

"Yes…" Aegir whispers. "Forget all the ghosts of the painful past, and instead look forward to a bright future."

"I…"

"Say it, Claire, and let's put an end to this tiring conflict between us."

"I… I…" I close my eyes, breathe my last free breath, and join the man before me in the company of the doomed. "I do."

The king's smile is so sharp my heart is sliced in two.

The minister is relieved. To the audience he proclaims "If there are any who would hold objections to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace." I look out upon the mass of faces, looking for someone to rescue me from this sentence, but all are silent. Only a faint, rumbling murmur from outside permeates my ears, the water moving about the walls. The minister then continues, clasping on our necks the two necklaces signifying our union. "Then, by the power vested in me…" He says, and I lower my head in hopelessness. "…I now pronounce you…" A thought comes to me in an instant. _Wait a second! There ain't no tides here! That wasn't the sound of water, that was…!_

"**I** object!" A voice of thunder yells, and everyone in the cathedral gasps in shock, turning around to see who said it. On the opposite end of the red carpet, standing like conquerors, are Monkey and Natsu, my saviors.


	88. Chapter 88

**Eighty Eight – Aki's Last Resort! The Power to Control the Universe**

"Monkey!" I exclaim, overwhelmed with joy to see his silly, roguish grin. "You're here! And Natsu too!"

She beams a smile so warm it melts my heart. "I'm just fine, Aki."

Monkey chuckles. "You didn't think we were gonna leave you here, did you?"

I echo his laugh, though mine is a bit shaky. _Actually… I kinda did. Sorry 'bout that. _"You had me scared alright."

"Scared?" Comes another voice, a lower, manlier one. Roronoa appears behind the two, katanas sheathed at his side. The crowd of audience members, already alarmed from Monkey's intrusion, turn fearful at the sight of someone armed. "That doesn't sound like the Aki I remember."

"No, it doesn't." Remarks a third, the voice of a sadly-not-a-woman. On the lower balcony, appearing out of thin air like an illusion from a mirage, is Namizou, his trusty staff in hand. "The Aki I know was tough as nails!"

"Tough as nails!" Tony Tony repeats, appearing alongside him.

"Indeed." Madam Nico remarks, walking into the cathedral on the top balcony, calm and composed. "She was one of the strongest women I've ever known."

"And the prettiest!" Sanji pops in alongside Monkey and Roronoa to chime in, then upon noticing me, immediately bursts into a dignified nosebleed. "Especially when in a wedding dress!"

"Wedding dress!? "Ah, it's true!" Brook arrives on the balcony to see. Though he's traded his suit and tie for a rock star's jacket and jeans, he still, politely, casually, calmly asks "Now will you let me see your panties?" Namizou punches his bones off the balcony and into the aisle.

"She was SUPER brave and determined, too!" Sir Franky adds, joining his comrades on the cathedral floor. I don't even know what's happened to him since last I saw him; he looks far more robot than man now. "It didn't matter if the whole world was against her, she kept on going!"

"But most importantly," Usopp adds from atop the highest balcony, just like any good sniper should be. "Whether she knew it or not, she was a friend, an ally, a comrade: nakama!" Usopp continues with a sly, sauve tone of voice. "Besides, didn't I tell you? A brave man doesn't abandon his nakama – so of course we're here! All of us!"

Monkey looks like he's about to pout. "Usopp!" He whines. "**I'm** the captain; **I'm **supposed to get the last word in when we're all being cool!" All of the Straw Hats, myself included, have a laugh at him for that.

Aegir's temper has had all it can stand of this foolishness. "Enough!" He yells, his voice searing the air. "That damned fool! I give him all the firepower his heart could desire and yet he still can't take care of a handful of insignificant pirates!"

Monkey starts to approach the altar, snagging his chance to say a good line. "You threw an ocean at me and it didn't stop me, old man." He sneers. "What made you think a bunch of guys with guns and swords would be any different?"

The king bares his teeth in a snarl. "Claire, you were wrong." He growls. "This young captain is just like every pirate – an insolent, uncivilized brute."

Somberly, I step down off the raised platform before the altar, to stand aside Monkey, then turn around and look straight into the king's eyes, two furies mixing with one another. "Then so am I." I proclaim. "And there's nothin' wrong with that." The king is taken aback for a moment, his anger subsiding for just a moment. "But what I ain't..." I continue, raising my voice. "I ain't thoughtless. And I ain't selfish. I ain't a cruel, overbearin' father who don't give a damn what no one but himself wants. And I definitely… ain't… no murderer!" I yell, filling the cathedral with my voice. Lowering it, I scowl. "That's reserved for you, Pops."

Aegir becomes incredibly nervous, all eyes moved to him. "I... it's not true!" He stumbles in his words. "I-I don't know what she's talking about! I killed many people in war, yes – but I've never **murdered** anyone!" I don't know the audience's reaction. I don't care for it. He points an spiteful index finger at me. "I… don't know what you're hoping to gain by this, Claire," he says, feigning ignorance, "but no one will believe a word of it."

"I don't care." I answer swiftly, stepping out of the high heels and kicking them out from underneath the dress. "Let people believe what they will, it don't matter one bit to me." One by one, I tear off the ribbon from each tentacle. "Let 'em think me a monster; I'm used to it." I then grab onto the wedding dress on all sides with my tentacles, and in one swift movement, tear everything from the knee down clean off, and let it fall to the floor a heap of fabric. The cathedral gasps.

"How dare you! What do you think you are doing!?" Aegir rages.

"The same thing I did when we first met!" Quickly and without any warning, I take one hard step in front of me, throw the necklace at the king, and leap at him. Aegir catches the jeweled projectile, but in doing so fails to block my attack. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter. His haki, though diminished a good deal, is still more than enough to deflect my attack. My fist bounces off his forehead like a pebble against a wall. The audience, already on edge, now bursts into a full panic, everyone scrambling to flee the cathedral. Though the Straw Hats are letting them all pass, some of the non-human guests are too frightened of them and in fear take their chances leaping out the windows into the open waters. Unharmed, Aegir readies a counterattack, a wave of haki lashing out from his hand like a whip of fire. I have just enough time after landing to bring my limbs in front of me to guard myself, but the attack is still incredibly strong, and I end up being sent a ways backwards, sliding into Fukaboshi, who catches me in his massive arms. My arms and tentacles burn where the haki seared them, but the pain is ignored.

"Princes- err… I mean…" Fukaboshi begins, but realizes he has no idea what to call me, and stops short in silence.

"I'm fine. Thanks." I say, regaining my balance. "But I saw some folks jump out into the open waters. Go check on them, make sure **they're** fine." He thinks on it for a second, nods, then speeds off. I glance back at Monkey and the Straw Hats. "Soldiers'll be pouring in here any second! Be ready!" I tell them.

"It's no use, Claire." Says Aegir, irritated. "**You** could flee here, but them? How many devils do they have again? Four? Five? They trapped themselves the moment they set foot in this place."

"Oi! I don't like the way this guy talks, Aki!" Monkey growls. "Lemme beat him up!"

I hold a hand up to stop him. "I told you, Monkey. He's mine to end."

Monkey makes a pouty face in response, then grumbles "Yeah, fine. You better kick his ass then!" We give each other a thumbs-up.

The air suddenly grows hotter. "So this is how you repay me, is it?" Aegir says, anger seething from his skin. "I bring you into this world, I love you with all my heart, I dedicate half my life searching for you, and what is my reward!?" His voice raises to a furious yell. "A child I scarcely recognize, come to slay me for my good deeds!" The heat intensifies, the very air around him boiling. "So be it! If it will drive this monster from my daughter, then I shall take up arms against her!" From aside him he grabs tight the hilt of the statue's sword, rips it straight out of the stone, then charges at me in great strides, the blade raised behind his head. _I gotta move! I can't be struck by that thing!_ Though his power is immense, he lacks finesse in his movements. He brings it down, carving a fiery rift in the air, but I spin to the side in time to avoid the blow. I throw a left hook at his cheek, but Aegir ducks while swinging the blade low, aiming for my legs. I'm too close to avoid it by stepping back, so I get risky and jump. The greatsword's arc is halted as soon as Aegir realizes he missed his target, I perform a feat of grace, landing on the flat of the blade. The metal is hot under my feet, like a stone walkway in a scorching summer. The tip of the blade hits the ground with a loud clang, and the battle pauses for just a split-second, more than enough to reassess the situation. In my peripherals I see Storm military uniforms entering the cathedral. The Straw Hats and Natsu are more than ready for them, though they have to keep reserved their power, otherwise this place would shatter and the ocean would swallow them whole.

Aegir continues our fight. He heaves the sword up with both hands, throwing me off. I flip into the air and, utilizing the momentum, throw both hands against him in a vicious overhead strike. However, he merely has to glare an eye at me and my strength is overwhelmed. A wind of haki throws me upwards to the very roof of the cathedral, my body alight with pain as I crash into the painted stone ceiling.

"Miss Sinagra!" Nico cries, noticing me from the top balcony. That catches the attention of the others, and nearly results in a fatal strike against Usopp. I start to fall, still too stunned by the pain to catch myself, but I as I reach the bottom, I do not crash into the ground.

I am caught. The greatsword in his left hand, Aegir catches me with his right, snatching me out of the air by my head, rattling my brain. His hand covering half my face and my nose trapped behind the webbing between his thumb and forefinger, I can barely breathe. I desperately try to break free, but his hold is unshakable grabbing and scratching at his arm does nothing. "I will make you remember…" He snarls. His hand around my face grows hotter, like the sun's rays scorching my skin. _If I can just… reach his crown…! _Though I try and snatch the source of his power from his head, my tentacles are too short to reach. "You **will** remember the Claire your mother died grieving over! I WILL BURN HER INTO YOU!" His rage overwhelming, his hand grows hotter than red irons, and a pain fiercer than anything I've ever known, even greater than the scorching sunrise at Sabaody that nearly claimed my life, burns itself into my face. I can't move, I can't see, I can't even think. I can only scream as my face is branded to a molten crisp under his searing fingers.

"AKI!" Monkey yells. He tries to move to rescue me, but he can barely move. No one can, from the Straw Hats to the soldiers to undoubtedly every person on Orbis Tertius – Aegir is stealing away everyone's power.

After seconds that seemed like hours of torment, the king's ceases his attack. Like a heap of trash I am tossed aside, falling to the ground like a doll, limp and motionless. Though the blinding heat is gone, my mind is still flooded with the sensation of pain, so great I can barely move past spasms of the muscles.

Monkey can take no more of this. Though his strength is sapped, still he slowly, staggeringly charges towards Aegir, letting loose a pained battle cry. The king thinks little of his show of bravado, looking down at him from behind his nose and frowning, disgusted. "Stop…" A faint whisper comes to stay him. It is not the king who spoke it, however.

It is I. My face still in horrible pain, barely able to even see, I manage to grab his ankle with a tentacle. "Monkey… stop…" I say again.

"Aki…" He looks back, terribly concerned. "Let me do this!"

"No…" I wheeze. "I told you… this is my fight…"

"Aki, no!" Namizou cries. "You can't!"

"Nami's right!" Adds Tony Tony. "You're too injured!"

"Tentacles, just let Luffy finish it!" Sir Franky exclaims. "At this rate, you'll die if you keep trying to fight him!"

Slowly, painstakingly I pull myself up to my feet, nearly falling back down twice. "The pirates are correct." Aegir says in a dark voice. "There are only two possible outcomes to this battle, Claire – your surrender or your death."

I take several heavy, aching breaths as I restore my balance. "Ya'll are… a bunch a' goddamn idiots." I growl. "You think I don't already know… all a' that!?" Pushing Monkey aside, I take a valiant step forward. "I knew from the start this'd probably end in my death. But still I fought. And still… I'm here, fightin'! And I'll continue to fight… until one of us… is dead!"

Aegir's poised demeanor turns shaken. "I don't believe what I'm hearing…" He gasps. "You cannot truly be so lost that you would prefer such a meaningless death, would you!?"

Monkey looks up at me with severe eyes. "Is he right… Aki?" He asks. "Is that really what you want? You'd rather die in battle than give up the fight?" He raises his voice in anger. "You expect me to watch my nakama throw her life away in a hopeless battle and do nothing about it!?"

"Don't worry…" A tiny smile shows up on my disfigured face. "I know his weakness." I take a long, deep breath. "Sanji." I say, loud enough for him to hear. "D'you get my bag?" I know he did, as I saw it tied around his waist earlier, but still I ask.

"Of course I did, Miss Aki!" He replies enthusiastically. "Just like you asked! Here!" He unties it and throws it my way.

I catch it in mid-air with a pair of tentacles. "Sorry, Sanji. I… I kinda lied." I say while opening up the bag. "While I do have a very precious memento in here, that ain't why I asked you to get it for me."

Aegir isn't paying attention to my words. He's too enraged to care about them. "What do you mean 'my weakness'!? What in the world could you ever have in that small bag that could overpower me?"

"It ain't in the bag."

"Then what? Nothing, that's what!" He shouts. "In this city I am invincible! I have no weakness!"

"It's got nothin' to do with the city, you damn fool." I spit, pulling out the small, airtight flask. "All this time it was right in front of me. Or rather," I twist off the lid and pull out the Devil's Fruit, "it **was** me."

Aegir's face turns ghostly pale. "Is that…?" He gasps, dropping the sword in horror.

"It can't be!" Roronoa exclaims. "A Devil's Fruit!?"

"You still have that!?" Says Usopp.

My smile grows. "I do. I guess I oughta thank you for not eatin' it when I gave you the chance, Usopp." Holding the small fruit in one hand, I tie the bag back up with the other and toss it behind me to Monkey, who fumbles with it for a bit before catching it.

"No, you can't!" Aegir yells. "Guards! Stop her!" He, along with the dozens of soldiers in the room, try to make a move, but I quickly bring the fruit close to my mouth, stopping all of them in their tracks. The fruit, only inches from my lips, gives off a pungent odor like fresh ginger. The stillness of the room is incredibly tense, everyone watching for the slightest bit of movement to act. "Claire, don't do it." The king pleads, trying to keep his voice calm, fearing any sudden movement. "If you eat that fruit, it'll be the end of you."

"I know." I reply, beaming a disfigured smile. " 'The devil inside'll consume me, and it ain't gonna be me you're lookin' at no more'… right? That's what you said, ain't it?"

"Then why!? Why would you eat it!? Throw the horrible thing away, please!"

"Miss, I strongly advise against it too!" Brook cries out. "You do not know what kind of power it could give you! It could give you one like mine, and do nothing for you!"

"I appreciate the concern, Brook." I chuckle. "But it don't matter. All that matters is that I eat it. 'Cause," I peel off the yellow skin, exposing the white flesh underneath, "to kill him… I first gotta kill myself."

With no regrets, without a mote of hesitation, I plunge my mouth into the fruit and take a large bite. It only takes two chews before it hits me and I immediately fall to my hands and knees. Every Devil's Fruit user in the room – Monkey, Tony Tony, Nico, Brook, and Natsu – they mumble the exact same thing: "They taste horrible…"

It's a struggle to keep from spitting up the vile stuff, but after several painful chews, I manage to swallow it. Quieting my heavy panting, I focus my attention inward, away from the anxious quiet in the cathedral and the pain in my face. _Alright, you… just what're you gonna do to me…?_ I look deep in every muscle, every nerve, organ, and bone, searching for the fruit's handiwork. _Am I yours now? Is the king right? Do you steal our souls and make a masquerade for the world? Or are you just a little friend, lookin' for a home? Tell me… Show me…_

My request is granted. I feel it in my hands, a strange pulling at the skin. Immediately I bring them to my eyes and watch, transfixed, as the webbing starts to disappear, slowly shrinking like a tide receding back into the ocean, until eventually my hand is no different than that of a human's, lilac-skinned. The feeling then moves into my abdomen, but it's not pain. It's a shifting inside of me, like my organs are worms, sliding around each other, changing positions. I grasp at my sides and discover that my gills are gone. I feel for the holes, but there's nothing, just skin. Lastly, I feel in all my tentacles a tingling sensation, like the pins and needles after a limb has fallen asleep. But it doesn't end in feeling restored, instead the opposite: I can't feel a thing. I try to move them, but nothing. All ten tentacles merely droop like dead weight.

Then, at last it comes to me, this realization. _I see. I understand now. Thank you. _Quietly I rise to my feet and take a long, deep breath of the still air, then look upon Aegir. Immediately he shudders, fear taken ahold of him. "You… how could you…?" His eyes grow watery as he cups his hands over his mouth in horror. "She is dead… My daughter… My daughter is dead!" He cries. I begin to slowly approach the king, but as soon as I take my first step, his sorrow shifts to anger. "You monster!" He yells. I halt my advance. "Guards! This is the princess no longer! She is a devil! An enemy of the kingdom! You are to kill her immediately!" All the soldiers present lift their rifles or their pistols and aim them at me. The Straw Hats try to stop them, but are pinned to the ground. "I'll hold the pirates off, just shoot her now!"

The sound of three dozen apathetic firearms echoes through the cathedral like thunder. One by one the bullets impact with my body, but not a single one penetrates. The king can't see that – the cloud of gunpowder smoke filling the air has him convinced I'm gone. _Sorry to burst your bubble, but that ain't gonna work on me. _I could push the dust cloud aside with merely a thought and a slight exertion of energy, but I let it settle naturally. I watch the changes in the king's face, from assurance to uncertainty to horror, as I appear unaffected. "No…" He gasps, terrified. "How are you still…? It's your Devil's Fruit power! It must be! What did it do to you!? What monster has it turned you into!?"

I smirk. " 'Monster', huh? Why don't I show you?" In front of me my arms have begun to glow a pale pink light like a faint flame. I cross them in front of my abdomen, as in a breathing exercise. "Monkey, everybody? Ya'll might wanna duck." Hoping they got the message, I take in a great breath of air, and exhaling it, quickly spread my arms out behind me. From them the pink light is flung out, dispersing into the air like droplets of water, shattering everything they come into contact with, be it bench, chandelier, or living person. Even the outer walls of the cathedral are peppered with tiny holes, leaking tiny streams of water inside. The Straw Hats were lucky, following my advice, but the majority of the soldiers dropped like flies. The few that heeded my warning now flee in fear.

Aegir however, is too shocked to move. "Wh-what did you just do…!?" He stammers. "What **was** that!?"

I take a deep breath, bringing my arms down, then lock eyes with the man. "Energy." I reply. "I ate the Ene Ene Fruit, and that's what it made me – an energy woman."

"Energy…?" He repeats. "Nonsense! Powerless nonsense!" Again he directs a great funnel of haki upon me, but it is no longer of any worry to me. "What…? What happened!?" He gasps, upon learning his attack did nothing.

"I absorbed it." I answer. My body has turned a shade brighter than its normal color. "**That** is my power. The absorption and redirection of energy."

"No…! But this is-"

"Your power is simply haki, will, converted into energy. Everythin' is – motion, heat, light, sound – a wise man once told me this, but now I understand it entirely. The world is full of an infinite number of energies. Learn to control them, and you'll have controlled the universe."

"NO!" He screams. "Impossible! This is impossible! I am king here; I am invincible! No devil will ever take me! DIE!" His fear and his denial have consumed him whole, overpowering any reason left in his mind. He throws another torrent of heat energy at me, and again it is painlessly taken in, adding to the already overwhelming store inside me. _So be it._ _If words ain't reachin' you no more, then that's that. _I begin my charge at the mad king, and more is siphoned into me, and I become like a glimmering beacon of light overpowering darkness. I feel it all inside me: the will of eight million souls, large and small, old and young, resolute and timid, their hearts shine onto mine. Their wishes and their hopes, their glistening dreams, I feel it all, empowering, beautiful.

And with them voices join the light, memories old and new. In my head the gentle words of a raven-haired beauty of a woman glow. "There's solidarity to be found always, no matter how dark things may become." She says to me with a trademark smile.

Another step closer, another flood of energy into my body, and another voice, this time of an old gambler. "It's all or nothing, Aki! There is no middle ground!"

My own voice now joins her friends. "I have conquered you! I am in control!" The triumphant fishwoman laughs amidst the vicious sandstorm atop a castle wall, overlooking a city drowning in sand.

One step away, and I am the sun before the mountain. Two last voices, a man and a woman, an incredibly silly pair, always happy, glisten. "The only person who decides what you are is you! You understand?"

"Right you are! Not kids, not grown-ups, not even your mother and I! Only you!"

"So! What do you want to be?"

_I just want to be __**me**__._

_Not a princess, or a pirate, or a savior, or a monster, or anything others want me to be._

_Just… me…_

Impact. From my fist pours a fountain of blinding light, an explosion of energy unlike anything the world has ever felt. Aegir's fragile body is a mote of dust before a star, disintegrated before a thought can even be processed. Behind him the out-pour of energy tears straight through the cathedral wall and bores a hole into the ocean itself, bays' worth instantly vaporized by the immense heat. The entire island itself shifts slightly forward for a moment, before the ocean begins to fill in the missing water.

All the energy gone from my body, I breathe slowly, as though every ounce of breath is of the most precious air in the world. For a moment that is all I can do; this isn't a feeling I know. It's new to me, something foreign and strange, but also so incredibly welcome. Far behind me the Straw Hats are all fleeing the cathedral, the water already beginning to pour in through the giant, gaping hole. "Aki!" Natsu screams and tries to come after me, but Roronoa holds her back.

"The water's already coming in! You can't go out there!" The swordsman yells. He's right. I feel the sea at my feet, and the numbness begins to creep into me, just like Natsu said it does.

"But she's a Devil's Fruit user too now!" She shouts. "We have to save her, or-"

"Natsu." I say gently. "It's okay. Please. Just let me…" I take a deep breath. "The chains are finally gone, Natsu. I can finally stand tall and face the light. If only for a moment, please… let me know this feelin'. Let me embrace it."

"What… what feeling?" She asks, breathlessly.

I turn around, and with stinging tears streaming down my scarred cheeks, smile "Freedom." as the ocean roars into the cathedral, swallowing me whole.

* * *

_____…_

___…_

_____…_

_Is that… is that light the sun…?_

_ Or is it… the other side…?_

_What is the shadow before it…?_

_ Is that a brave soul come to rescue me… or…_

_Are those angels… come to greet me? Lead me on?_

_ …_

_ Ah well… I'll know… soon enough…_

___…_

_…_

___…_

_…_

___…_

**-End of the Final Volume-**


	89. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

A light.

No… two lights.

They're so incredibly faint, but… they're growing. Little by little, they are drawing nearer, whatever nearer means right now. I'm not sure if I'm alive or if I'm dead, or if I'm even **me** at all. All I know is the lights are coming closer. As they do, they gain form, at first only by little, like blobs being pulled at and stretched, then into a more definite shape. I see it. They are becoming people. A man and a woman, and not just any man and woman, but…

"Mom? Dad?" I find my voice speaking. Is it indeed them: the same faces, the same clothes, everything just as I'd always remembered.

They turn to face me, if I even have a place in this wherever I am. "Aki?" My father says, squinting, his bushy eyebrows low over his eyes.

"Aki?" My mother mimicks, motions and all. "Is that really you?" She says.

I give a small smile. At least I think I do. "Yeah… it is." I answer nervously. "Is that… is that really you?"

"Well, I think so!" My father exclaims. "But I'm not quite sure…"

"It **is** puzzling." My mother adds. "Where exactly do you think we are…?"

"That's a very good question, Mia! I'll be happy to answer! We're uh…" He stops short. "Well, we're somewhere very mysterious."

"Mysterious!"

My heart is so overflowing with happiness, I can't help but burst into a great smile. "It really **is** you!" I find my arms before me, just as they ought to be, and embrace my parents.

"Of course it's us, Aki!" Cheers my mother. "But we're more surprised to see you!"

My father laughs. "Indeed! You've gotten so big I can barely recognize you! How old are you now?"

I laugh along with him. "I'm twenty-two. It's been a really long time."

"No kidding!" My mother answers, then the two of them turn a shade more serious. "So I guess you know now…"

"It's certainly been long enough…" adds my father.

"Yeah…" I reply, somberly, though keeping my smile. "I figured out everythin'."

"Everything?" They both say.

"Yep. About me, about you, about the World Government and the Storm Kingdom, and well – just damn near everythin'."

They gasp, but not for the reason I expect. "Such language!" My father exclaims.

"**We** never taught her to speak like that, did we Ike?"

"Certainly not!"

I burst into hysterical laughter and they quickly join. After we calm down, my father asks me "So I guess you're living with your real father now if you know the truth, huh?"

"Ryahahaha! Well… I was, for about a week. And then…"

They both lean in close. "And then…?" They repeat.

I move a thumb across my neck, and menacingly lower my voice. "I killed him."

They hold hands and gasp. "You didn't!"

I smile proudly. "I sure did."

"But how?" My father asks. "King Aegir was incredibly strong!"

"Tremendously!" Adds my mother. "We barely escaped with our lives!"

"Well, I did tell you, Mia, that we shouldn't have stopped to have our picture taken."

"Aww, but we always do, Ike!"

I snicker. "He was strong all right." I flex an arm. "But I was stronger!"

They're both awed to hear such a thing, sparkles flooding their eyes. "That's amazing, Aki!" My father exclaims. "But how did you do it?"

"Well… you see," I glance down at my right hand, the webbing missing, "I ate a Devil's Fruit."

They gasp again simultaneously. "So then you probably guessed about **that** too…" Says my mother. "About us."

"We were going to tell you some day…" My father continues. "Tell you **everything** I mean, it's just-"

"Oh, I understand!" I interject. "Trust me – I do! I was just a little kid after all… last we was together that is, so a' course I was too young to understand then, but I do now!"

They both give me sad puppy-dog eyes. "And you don't hate us for it…?"

I laugh. " 'Course not! I mean, yeah sure maybe I mighta woulda had a comfier life if ya'll hadn't done what you did, but… then I wouldn't be **me**, you know?" They nod appreciatively. "I'm just thinkin' of all the wonderful people I never woulda met… ah, I dunno if life'd be worth livin' without Madam Natsu at my side!" I swoon, lovestruck just thinking about her. "She's just the sweetest gal there is… I really do love her!"

At her name the two of them exchange glances, then huddle together, whispering in hushed voices to each other for just a moment. They then turn back around and give me a great big pair of thumbs-up's. "We're a little surprised, but we approve!" my father exclaims.

"The two of you have our blessing!"

"You mean…?" I burst into a huge smile. "Really!? Oooh, I knew ya'll was the best parents ever! I knew it!" I give them another long embrace, a great, warm hug between the three of us, but midway, I come to the sad realization. "But it's too late now, I reckon." I sigh.

"What do you mean?" My parents ask, letting go.

"Well… I mean… if ya'll are here with me now, then don't that mean… I'm dead?"

"Dead!?" They exclaim.

"Last thing I remember was being swept away by the ocean." I sigh. "You know, I always counted myself so lucky I'd never have to worry 'bout drownin'… Funny that's how I end up goin' out."

"No!" Shouts my mother. "You can't give up just yet, Aki!"

"Your mother's right! If ever there exists a glimmer of hope, you have to step forth and try with all your might to grab hold of it!"

"Like nothing else matters!"

"Like the world depends on it!"

"I'll… try, I guess." I shrug. "But well… if I ain't dead, then what's that make ya'll? Ghosts?"

"Ghosts!?" My father cries out.

"No, I don't wanna be a ghost!" My mother shrieks.

"Alright, alright!" I try and shush their fear. "Sheesh, ain't it s'pposed to be ya'll calmin' me down?"

As if that was their cue, they immediately quiet, and get to thinking, hands rubbing their chin in deep brainstorming. "Maybe…" my father begins.

"Maybe…" my mother continues.

"Maybe we're not **us** at all… maybe this is all in your head, Aki."

"All in your noggin!"

I think on it for a second. "Okay, sure. Why not? I'll go with that."

They exchange looks. "She actually bought it, Ike!" My mother whispers.

"I'm surprised too, Mia!"

I have a light chuckle, their hushed voices plain to hear. "I seen so many crazy things happen to people in my journey that this all bein' a dream ain't so hard to believe. I knew a man made out a' plants, and a walkin', talkin' skeleton. I seen machines that was once people, and… well, I knew a man and a woman what used to be one person." I snicker. "You know I'm curious."

They both cringe. "Y-yeah… about that." My father stammers.

"We've never told anyone about who we were before we ate the fruit, but…"

"…if it's you and only you, I guess it's okay."

As soon as they say that though, their images start to fade. My smirk fades immediately, replaced by fear. "Mom? Dad? What's happenin'?"

"Oh, looks like you were right, Ike!" My mother's fading voice exclaims.

"Once you figure out you're in a dream, you always get kicked out!"

"What!? No!" I yell. "No, don't go! Not yet! Please! There's so much more I want to talk with you about!"

My pleas are of no use. They fade further and further away from me. "It's okay, Aki!" Comes both their voices at once, far in the distance. "We'll always be with you!"

"But…!"

"Keep us right here! In your heart, Aki!"

* * *

Once again, light. But this is not a formless, shapeless blob in a desolate void. No, this is a familiar sensation. This is actual light. Though it is so incredibly tiny, I know this light is natural. And sound. Not emphereal sound thought in the mind but real sound heard with the ears. And then finally, feeling. It comes slowly, baby steps into the revitalization of the sense. My head and face first, then my hands, feet, and then everything in between is filled in. It is not all a pleasant awakening; pain is reintroduced as well – a livid throbbing in my head and an aching in my bones.

The light grows to a dark red the color of the back of one's eyelids. I try and lift my head up just a bit, but my joints are so sore, it feels like moving rusted machinery, levers and pulleys that haven't been used in ages. In addition, a barricade of sleep has formed around my eye. _Wait… 'eye'? _It takes me a moment to realize it, but there is definitely something up with my left eye; only my right feels like it should. I try to open them, and discover my prediction was not unwarranted. I am in a bed, in a dusty room with wooden walls, on board what I think to be a ship. I can only see out my right eye however, my left is covered by something. I pull a hand up to feel and discovers thick gauze bandages wrapped around my head. Pushing on them causes a sharp pain to course through my head. It is then that I notice my hands, and remember all that happened to me last I was awake. I can't stop looking at them, it's so strange to have the webbing gone. I hesitantly stick a finger in between those on the opposite hand and it simply passes through, much to my amazement, then interlock all my fingers together like I'd always seen humans do, and am entranced by the strange feeling. That reminds me of the other changes that took place. I can't see my abdomen, it being covered up, so I try to breath in through my gills. I know it'll hurt if I try to use them in air, but I have to confirm it.

Nothing. No feeling, no pain, nothing. _The sea… I can't never go back in… can I?_ That's a disconcerting feeling, but not as much as what happens next. Slowly I try to lift myself with my tentacles to a sitting position, but again nothing happens. They don't move. I can't even feel them. I start to panic, thinking maybe they were amputated, but I can't even feel a stump. I move my arms instead to lift myself up, but they are rusted with disuse, and in my fret I slip and end up falling out of the bed, painfully face first onto the wooden floor.

The noise wakes a visitor in the room I did not know I had. Leaning against the corner behind my bed Natsu jolts out of sleep, dazed for a moment. Underneath the bandages my head hurts terribly from the fall. I try to push myself up with my arms, but all my tentacles, useless now, have gotten in the way, and I'm tripping over my own limbs.

"Aki…?" Natsu mumbles, then rubs her eyes and sees me fallen on the floor. "Aki! Oh, it **is** you! You're awake! Thank goodness!" She stands up immediately and rushes to my side. "Here – lemme help you up." My mouth squished against the floor, I mumble something faint and incoherent. She helps me lift myself back up onto the bed, and for the first time, I don't feel embarrassed or ashamed in letting someone else take care of me. It feels nice.

Sitting with the covers over my legs, I lean back and put a hand over the bandages on my face to try and ease the pain. All I can manage to say is a quiet "Thank you.", panting heavily.

"Does it still hurt?" She asks, severely concerned.

I don't lie. "Yeah… it does."

"Hold on, lemme get Chopper. He'll wanna take a gander at you." She hurriedly leaves the room, and only a moment after I hear from outside a great cheer of excitement, followed by numerous hurried footsteps throughout the ship, coming closer, until the door bursts open and in comes Tony Tony, followed by the rest of the Straw Hat crew, minus Sir Franky, who can't fit through the door. Everyone is ecstatic to see me conscious again, half of them even in joyous tears. "Squid-head! You're finally awake!" Monkey exclaims.

_ 'Squid-head' again, huh?_ "Hold up, hold up… What's goin' on? Just what happened. How long's it been?"

"Which should we answer first?" Roronoa laughs.

My head hurts too much to think about all of this. "I dunno, I'm confused. Just… answer somethin'."

Madam Nico obliges. "After you defeated the king, the water pulled you out into the ocean. As we fled the collapsing cathedral, we had thought you were lost. That night however, there was good news."

"Fukaboshi saved you!" Monkey interjects.

"The… prince?"

"Yes!" Says Brook. "He found you nearly dead out in the ocean, and managed to bring you up to the surface in time to keep you alive. I scarcely believed my eyes when I saw it. Ah – although I am a skeleton so I do not have any eyes! Yohohohoho!"

"But you were just barely with us…" Tony Tony says, choking back the tears. "You slipped into a coma. We didn't know how long you might be gone!"

"A coma…?" I murmur. "How long…? How long's it been?"

"Over two weeks. You've been out like a lamp the whole time." Usopp answers.

"We were so worried, Miss Aki!" Sanji exclaims, his heart full of love. "Miss Natsu especially!"

Namizou speaks. "She waited here this entire time for you to come back."

My head starts to clear as I glance upon her humble face in the crowd of clowns. "Natsu, did you really…?"

She darts her eyes away from mine. "Well… I… someone had to, and I…" She swallows her embarrassment. "Yeah, I did."

"Even though I coulda been…?" Tears well up in my eyes and start to pour out like grateful streams. "That's… that's just… too sweet a' you! I dunno what I did to deserve a friend like you!" I bawl, then rub my eyes. "Ugh, stupid tears… they just ain't stoppin'…" Everyone has a laugh, and I find it even spreading to me, laughing as I cry, crying as I laugh. Namizou breaks the laughter by telling everyone they ought to step outside, to give me space. The quiet is greatly appreciated.

Tony Tony stays behind to check up on me. "How are your wounds? Do they still hurt?" He asks.

"Like someone took a hammer to my head…" I groan. "How bad is it under there?" I ask.

His face grows dim for a moment. "I did everything I could, but…"

"It's bad, huh?" I answer.

"You lost your left eye." He says quickly, fearing the repercussions of his words.

My breath is stolen from me. The room is quiet, the only noise the creaking wood of the ship. "Are you serious?" I gasp, putting a hand to my bandages.

"The eyeball had been melted into the socket. There was nothing I could do but cut it out."

I gulp, involuntarily envisioning the procedure in my head. "Can I see it?" I ask him.

He nods. I try and stand, to walk to the mirror on the opposite side of the room, but lose my footing as soon as my feet are on the ground. Tony Tony transforms into his large human-form in time to catch my fall and hold me up. "Careful! You haven't used your muscles in two weeks; they're weak." It's an unpleasant feeling, being without my strength, though I do not shun the help. _I'll just hafta start workin' out again, as soon as I can. _

"I can stand." I say.

"Are you sure?" He confirms. _No, but that ain't never stopped me before._ Step by step, I make my way across the room to the full-length mirror hanging on the wall. I look a mess. Over half my face is wrapped in bandages, my arms and legs have turned a bit flabby, and I pat my stomach to find my once six-pack abs have lost almost all their definition. _**Def'nitely** gotta get workin' out again._ From behind me Tony Tony carefully undoes the bandages. Layer by layer they are removed, falling in his hands a gross, shriveled mess. When the last strip is removed, I see my face in full, and he wasn't kidding. My eye is missing, an empty socket in its place, nearly closed shut. The side of my face around it is striped with burn scars that, though no longer open, still look dreadful.

"He really got me good… You can even see where each a' his fingers was." I mumble, tracing the scars with a finger. "Guess he wasn't gonna go down without at least leavin' his mark."

"I'm sorry." Tony Tony apologizes out of kindness. "We all wanted to stop him from doing this to you, but-"

"I know, I know. Don't you worry none 'bout that, little guy." I smile. "He's gone, and I'm still here, with all a' ya'll. I couldn't ask for nothin' more. 'Sides," I say, looking myself over in the mirror again, "Now I get to wear me one a' them cool eyepatches. Only fittin', seein' as I'm a pirate now, huh?"

That puts a giggle in him. "Oh, that reminds me! How does it feel?" He asks.

I'm not quite sure what he means. "How does… what feel?" I respond.

"The Devil's Fruit! How does it feel now? I was too young when I ate my Fruit to remember the change."

I'd been so overwhelmed with information and thought that I'd completely forgotten about that. "I dunno…" is all I can say. "Ain't really had a chance to take it in, I guess." As a test, I bring my hands together in a powerful clap. However, I do not let the resulting kinetic and sound energy roam free; I soak it in. "It's strange." I say, looking down at my hands, glowing ever so slightly. "It's like I got a new sense. I ain't got a clue how energy's s'pposed to be measured, but I know exactly how much I got stored right now, and what types." Without giving it much thought, I transfer it all to one hand and expel it out in a pink blast. Unfortunately, I hadn't quite realized the mirror was still in front of me, and the force of the energy not only shattered it to pieces, but throws me and Tony Tony back onto the floor. At first we're in shock, but then after a moment we both simultaneously burst into laughter, even as Natsu and a couple others rush in, worried after hearing the sound.

* * *

An hour later, the fact that I'm not dead after all has made it out to the public. It is after I have finished enough slow and steady exercise to regain normal movement in my limbs (aside from my tentacles of course, which will undoubtedly remain forever useless). Usopp had just given me an eyepatch he'd been working on the past week, of white cloth that not only covered my eye, but a decent amount of the scars as well, when I come up to the deck of the Thousand Sunny for some fresh air, and am almost immediately noticed by a dockhand passing by the ship in the harbor. "Hah, you're screwed now." Roronoa jeers as the man runs off to spread the news. "They're gonna want you back, you know."

"Yeah, no kiddin'…" I grumble.

"Or they might want the opposite." Sir Franky adds. "They might try and put you under arrest for killing the king. You think we should jet?"

I shake my head. "Nah, lemme take care of 'em."

"Oooh! You gonna kick their asses?" Monkey grins maliciously, like he's hoping I say yes just so he can watch. I only laugh under my breath in response.

As I wait along the side of the boat for the people to return, Natsu approaches me. She takes a moment before saying anything to me, and when her voice does come, it is soft and quiet. "What are you gonna do, Aki?" She says, leaning her elbows on the ship's railing.

I continue to look off into the heart of the harbor, where I can see a mass of townsfolk making their way here, no doubt come to see if the rumor being spread is true. "What do you mean?" I respond.

"I mean where are you gonna go now that this is all finally over?"

I think it over for a second, and even though I already know the answer to that question, I say "Ain't decided for sure yet. What about you?"

She too takes a moment to think before forming her response. "I'm going back to the Red Line." She says. Surprised, I turn my gaze downward, my eyes meeting with hers. "I'm going back to my hometown of Weston, and there I'm going to revive the Mountain Fist dojo."

Starry-eyed, I shout "That's fantastic!"

"Your Highness!" A voice interrupts from afar. Natsu and I both glance down to the dock, where none other than Captain Riker stands, along with a number of citizens led here. "Oh, thank goodness! You **are** still alive!" All the faces in the crowd turn to happiness and say kind words in thanks and praise. I feel like I should say something to them, but I have no idea what. Natsu and I glance at each other for a flash; she can tell I'm tongue-tied. "The city has been in a panic ever since the tragedy at the Flooded Cathedral. With both you and His Majesty presumed dead, it meant the end of the Istia Dynasty."

"But you're not dead!" A man exclaims.

"Thank goodness for that!" Adds an old woman at the front. The crowd agreed with her.

"Indeed." Riker says, stepping forward and kneeling down on one knee. "Please, Your Highness. Take up the mantle of Queen, and ensure peace in our nation!" All the crowd follows his lead and falls in reverence before me. Everything is still, a tense nervousness all around as the world waits for my answer.

"No." I reply in a low, apathetic voice.

Everyone below me is stunned. Everyone behind me, the Straw Hat crew, they've all got big smiles on their faces. " 'No'!?" Riker gasps. "H-how can you say-"

"Y'know what happens when you eat a Devil's Fruit?" I interrupt. No one gives an immediate answer. "C'mon! I'm asking ya'll! What happens?"

One brave soul speaks up. "Uh- um… the devil inside kills you and takes over your body?"

"Exactly." I say, even though I know by now it's nonsense. "So…" What they can't see is I've had my hands behind my back all this time I've been speaking, rubbing them back and forth vigorously, collecting heat energy. Enough now gathered, I bring a hand out, point it high, and from my index finger shoot a bright pink beam of energy that flashes bright for a moment, then dissipates into the air. "Ya'll want me to become Queen Claire Istia," I continue, before they have a chance to say anything, "but there's just one problem with that." _Well… technically I got a whole bucket a' problems with it._ I flash a scoundrel's grin their way. "I ain't her. Claire Istia's long gone."

The people are silent for a moment, until Riker speaks. "That's… fine." He says, with heavy, reluctant breath.

Many of those around him are stunned to hear him say that. "How can you say a thing!?" Someone exclaims.

"Yeah! That devil killed the princess!"

"Please listen! I know!" He cries to the enraged townsfolk, then turns his eyes to mine. "I know you are not Princess Claire. But I knew this long before you ate that Devil's Fruit. Somewhere along the line between meeting you at Sea Stone Fortress to parting ways in the center of the capital, I knew. You were not Istia Claire, heir to the throne, and the princess the kingdom missed. And I wasn't the only one. Though the late King denied it to his grave, we all knew. But do you know what?" He pauses for a second, though no one will answer his rhetorical question. "It didn't matter. It didn't matter to any of us! So… please!" He falls to his hands and knees and lies prostrate, begging. "Let the Istia Dynasty end, if only to have Sinagra's begin!"

I sigh, loud and exasperated. "Fine." I groan. Riker immediately stands back up, overjoyed. I turn around to the Straw Hat crew, who can't believe what I just said. "Monkey," I say, before anyone can retort. "I'm gonna steal one a' your ideas, 'kay?" I give him a bright wink with my remaining eye, and after a second of thought, his expression of shock turns to a wide grin. I mimic his smile, then turn around to the citizens and turn serious. "Alright!" I boom, "As Queen, my first decree… shall be to dissolve the monarchy which I am a part of!"

It takes a moment for everyone to realize what I just did, and when they do, the simultaneous outcry is deafening. It takes everything in me not to break out into a fit of laughter at their utter astonishment. "And in its place, there ain't gonna be no kings or queens or nothin' like that! Aegir said somethin' to me. He said the law is the law, and it don't matter who you are – commoner, soldier, princess, or even king – everyone serves under it. So really… what the hell d'ya'll need me for? Ya'll already got a leader, and a better one at that. You ain't gotta worry bout the law goin' nuts with old age, or havin' an asshole heir, or nothin'."

I'm rather satisfied with this on-the-fly reconstruction of their government I've come up with, but Riker objects. "But Your High- er… ma'am, the law won't enforce itself."

"Well then… make like a council or somethin'. Seven folks oughta do. And have the people choose 'em, like every… shoot I dunno, how long ya'll think?"

"Three years!" Monkey blurts out.

"Three years it is!" I exclaim. _Wait, the hell were you doin' payin' attention to all that, Monkey? That ain't like you._

"Yeah, it took us three years to get here, so it'll take another three years to get to Raftel, right?" He wasn't responding to me, he was just talking with Sir Franky.

Shaking my head at the stupid captain, I clear my throat and continue "And one last thing!"

"One last thing?" Riker repeats.

"A friend a' mine needs a boat." I glance back to Natsu, and we trade smiles. "And a crew to sail her to the Red Line. That ain't gonna be a problem, right?" _After the__lastdecree, I sure as hell hope not. _A captain in the crowd agrees to the task, and Natsu and I both thank her. "Now that that's settled," I proclaim, in my grandest voice, "I hereby declare the Storm Kingdom to be no more! It is now the Storm Republic!"

I kind of expect roaring cheers and applause, but I guess the information's all a bit too much for them to soak in just yet. _Well, whatever. It ain't in your hands no more, Aki. That's all that matters, right? _"So, as citizens now sworn to the law instead a' some dude in a tower, I believe ya'll got a bit of a problem. There seems to be a Devil's Fruit user in ya'll's country… and I seem to recall the law here says that ain't allowed… And not only that, but I think she killed ya'll's princess… Hmmm…" _I could tell 'em I also killed their king, but… nah, let's keep that a secret._

They get my charade. With a small laugh, Riker smirks and says "We can afford a day or two." he turns around to the crowd, "don't you think?"

I breath a sigh of relief, then turn to the others on the ship and give a weak smile and a thumbs-up. I get many in return.

* * *

An hour later and Monkey is at his limit. He wants to leave here and get back to the high seas so badly it's driving him crazy. "Well, what's stopping us, Captain?" Sanji remarks.

Monkey doesn't say a thing, but merely points an accusatory finger at me.

"Me?" I ask.

Natsu speaks. "He wants to know whether you're coming with him or not." She explains.

She doesn't have to say it; I know she wants to know as well, more than anyone. I take a deep breath, then kneel down to eye level with Natsu, hold her hands in mine, and say to her "You know I wanna go back home with you, back to the mountains where we grew up. But I made a promise. I promised a young, brave, and incredibly stupid pirate captain that I'd sail with him to his journey's end. But after that, I **will** come back to help you restart the dojo."

She smiles, but it is not a wholly genuine smile. "I can trust you, right?"

"Of course, Natsu."

"You swear on your life you'll come back?"

"Better." I say, then pull her in close. "I swear on a kiss." Throwing any care to the wind, I bring her face to mine and we lock lips. The Straw Hats hold varying reactions of surprise, of disgust, of infatuation (Brook mysteriously manages a nosebleed), but I don't care about any of it. I'd waited for so long for this embrace, never able to fully summon the courage, nor overcome my fear, but now, after travelling the world, after witnessing so many wonders, after facing death in a myriad of forms and emerging victorious… this? This is nothing to fear, only the emotions of a girl in love.

When she pulls away, and realizes what she just let happen, her face flushes red in embarrassment. "I… wow. I… I'm gonna go now." She stammers, fretful, tripping over her words. "Take care, Aki. And… everyone else too. Be well." In a hurry, she rushes off the boat. It doesn't bother me. I know it's a one-sided romance between us, but that single moment was all I've ever wanted, all I'll ever need.

"That's that, then." says Roronoa. "We all ready to set sail?"

"Yes!" Monkey enthusiastically shouts.

Namizou clubs him in the back of the head. "I know **you** are, you won't shut up about it."

"There's no else here, Miss?" Brook asks me.

I stand up and walk by the tall skeleton man, giving him a pat on his bony shoulder. "I'm all done here, thanks. I'm ready to leave whenever ya'll are."

"Well then, would you like to do the honors this time, Miss Sinagra?" Madam Nico offers. "Assuming that's okay with the captain." Monkey nods approvingly.

_Heh. Here's to a whirlwind of a life. _I look up at the setting sun, at the beckoning sea before us. "Alright, crew!" I shout, then point a triumphant finger over the horizon. "To adventure!"

**-The End-**

* * *

**(I know, I'm an asshole for leading you into believing chapter 88 was the absolute end of the story. ^^; In truth I originally had it end with her ambiguous end, but I came to love the character I'd written too much, and since she had learned her lesson by the end, I wrote an epilogue to give her the good, more One Piece-y end.**

**But thank you so much for sticking through until the end, and I hope you enjoyed the story! If any of you would be interested in reading an Avatar fic [the cartoon, not the Cameron flick] I've been working on one while uploading this one over the months, and it's near to be finished.**

**Again however, thanks so much for reading this!)**


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